


Shifting Parameters

by cheile (Cheile)



Series: Kathryn's Rainbow [2]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe, Childbirth, Delta Flyer, Drama, F/M, Humanitarian Crisis, New Beginnings, Pregnancy, Romance, Shore Leave, Weddings, honeymoon sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:46:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14075256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheile/pseuds/cheile
Summary: Kathryn finds that the parameters she had once set for herself and Chakotay can, in fact, be redefined.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s note: (Re)writing this story from its original version has been both rewarding and frustrating, but I hope you all enjoy the end result. 
> 
> Timeline: Set roughly two and a half months after "Two Become One".
> 
> Thanks: to many, many people for listening/advice/helping but most especially to Caladenia and Mary S for helping this make sense.

_Shifting Parameters_

 

_The time is 0600...the time is 0600...._  

"Computer, reset alarm."  Kathryn didn't open her eyes, her attention focused on attempting to ignore the churning in her stomach.  It had reared its head the moment the alarm had brought her to awakening and any little movement only made it worse.  Getting out of bed was going to be an adventure, much less making it to the bridge.

_I knew I shouldn't have eaten the lumaoi pie last night._   That thought increased the nauseated feeling and she swallowed hard to suppress it.  Forcing herself to kick away the covers, she took slow, deep breaths, counting to ten after each exhale.  After two minutes of deep breathing, she slowly pushed herself to sit up, making sure not to make any sudden moves.  But the change in position alone brought the wave of nausea back full force and she bolted into the fresher, giving in to the urge once she was safely bent over the sink.  After her stomach was empty, she pushed herself back to a full standing position, clutching the counter for support as she stared at her reflection.  This was the fourth time this week she had woken up severely nauseated and the pallor of her skin was much more pronounced than usual.  Despite knowing the cause of this morning's bout, she had struggled to keep anything down over the past week—and had had to force herself to eat when she actually did have an appetite. 

Sighing, she returned to the bedroom after forcing down a few sips of water, resigning herself to the inevitable.  She would have to stop in sickbay before heading up to the bridge.

 

* * *

 

 

_One foot in front of the other...one foot in front of the other...._   Kathryn kept reciting the mental mantra to combat the nausea long enough to reach sickbay.  Stepping through the doors as they opened, she was relieved to see that no one was present except the Doctor. 

The Doctor turned from his console, his eyebrows rising upon seeing her.  “Good morning, Captain.  This is unexpected.  Normally you don’t grace me with your presence unless I twist your arm.” 

“Didn’t have a choice,” Kathryn grimaced, swallowing down the nausea as it tried to resurface. 

“That’s why I do this job,” the hologram muttered, picking up a tricorder.  “For the endless adoration of my patients.” 

“I just need an anti-emetic.”  She pushed away his scanning wand hand.  “I couldn’t resist going for the _lumaoi_ pie last night.” 

“A standard scan is still required, as you know.”  Ignoring her glare, the Doctor tapped commands into the tricorder before aiming the wand at her again. 

“It’s not necessary when I know the _exact_ cau—“  The nausea rose up again and, without thinking, she spun and fled for the fresher, making it just in time.  Her heaving continued long after there was nothing more to expel and she clung to the sink for balance, the abdominal spasms having left her head pounding from the exertion. 

“In this instance, I believe that what ails you is more than your typical case of Mr. Neelix’s culinary ‘expertise’ gone wrong.”  The Doctor’s words echoed from the doorway and she winced at the stabbing pain in her head caused by the echo, but gratefully accepted his supporting arm as he guided her to the nearest bed.  Once safely supine, she squeezed her eyes closed and listened to the tricorder’s trilling beep.  It kept her from drifting to sleep, though she was oh so tempted. 

“How long have you had this exhaustion?” 

She huffed a sigh.  “A few days.  It’s been one of those months.” 

“And have you experienced this level of nausea previously in the last week?” the Doctor questioned. 

“My stomach’s been unsettled off and on for a while, but no, not as bad as it has been this morning.”  

"Hmm...." 

Kathryn opened her eyes to meet the Doctor's thoughtful frown.  "Hmm what?" 

He didn't respond for several moments and she sat up, attempting to ignore the return of the churning in her stomach.  "Doctor?" 

"You can relax.  Nausea is quite common during the early stages of development, but, don't worry, there are anti-emetics I can give you that are safe for the fetus until it subsides."  He crossed to the console to fetch a hypo and the necessary cartridge. 

"Anything to stop this nausea will be—"  The rest of his words suddenly hit her.  She had to have misheard.  "What do you mean _fetus_??" 

"You're pregnant, Captain." 

Pregnant.  _Pregnant?!_   "That's...that's impossible," she sputtered, unable for the moment to voice anything more intelligent.  "The boosters...." 

The Doctor pressed the anti-emetic hypo against her neck; she drew in a slow breath as the queasiness began to fade. “Boosters require an overlap period to maintain optimal effectiveness.  And according to your medical records, you were three days late.”  Picking up his tricorder, he resumed scanning.  “Gestational age – ten weeks, six days....” 

_Damn._   Thinking back on it, she realized he was right.  She’d often neglected to keep up with the schedule simply because there was little reason to.  After all, it wasn’t as if she had a relationship to worry about— 

_Oh God….Chakotay._  The memories of their night rose to the forefront of her mind, when they’d carelessly thrown protocol to the stellar winds.... 

The Doctor's continued rambling distracted her from the tumult of her thoughts and it took her a long minute to realize he was still talking. 

"—DNA profile shows that Commander Chakotay is—" 

"Is the father," she finished in a monotone.  "Yes, Doctor, I'm well aware of that." 

“Do you wish for me to inform him?” 

“No!” she barked.  At the Doctor’s stunned look, she sighed.  “Apologies, Doctor—I didn’t mean to be so abrupt with you.  What I meant to say was I will be the one to inform the Commander of this situation.”  _Situation?  It’s a_ baby, _Kathryn, not a “situation”._ _And just how_ am _I going to explain this_ _to Chakotay?_   The press of a second hypo to her neck startled her and she gave the Doctor a questioning glance. 

"Vitamin shot.   You’ll need to repeat the dose once a week.   Also, you will need to come in for scans every other week....”  

"Send the information to my personal console."  She slid off the biobed, ignoring the Doctor's protest.  "I have to get to the bridge." 

Somehow, she reached the bridge, obtained a status report from the alpha shift crew, and made it into the ready room on autopilot.  Once there, she hesitated in front of the replicator, the thought of her usual morning coffee entirely unappealing.  She settled for a glass of ice water, taking a few careful sips before setting it aside to pace. 

_How could I have let this happen?_   It was a stupid question with an obvious answer, but it rose to the forefront of her mind nonetheless.  Chakotay's innocent question about the rainbow sculpture had somehow triggered the impulse to resurrect painful memories she thought she had buried years ago.   Rather than back away from his caring concern as she had always done in the past, she had allowed herself to indulge in the long-forgotten concept of putting herself first without even considering the potential consequences. 

_Ten weeks, six days...._   Had it really been over two months since that night?  Thinking back, she realized that it had.  Various ship's systems had been acting up ever since their trip through the Void and their encounters with the Malon; a microfracture threat to the warp core six weeks prior had had the entire crew running ragged for days after.  And as of yet, there had been no sign of any starbases equipped for repairing a ship _Voyager's_ size or planets with the necessary materials available to obtain the proper overhaul that was desperately needed. 

Her console chimed softly, startling her out of her musings.  Taking a deep breath to quell the resurging nausea, she tapped her badge with a trembling hand. 

 

* * *

 

Chakotay arrived on the bridge right at 0800 and was headed for his chair when he was paged to the ready room.  The door slid open to admit him and he entered, spotting Kathryn on the upper level by the couch, her back to him as she gazed out the viewport at the warp-streaked stars.  When she failed to acknowledge his presence, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.  "Captain, are you all right?" 

Silence.  

Confusion rapidly turned to wariness at the set of her posture; was she still annoyed with him after their dispute last week?  He had had to push her into taking two days’ break after working a week of double shifts helping Engineering in their fight to re-stabilize the warp core.  He had only succeeded after a heated argument, though she’d apologized the next day and the mood between them had swiftly returned to its usual cordiality.  

Deciding to venture closer, he crossed the room and ascended the step to the upper level.  Now that he was closer, he noticed the pallor of her skin and realized that her stiff pose and tightly folded arms was actually an attempt to disguise the fact that she was obviously feeling ill.   He dared to lay a hand on her arm.  "If you're not feeling well, I can cover your shift." 

An immediate headshake was her only answer.  

"Are you still upset with me about last week?" 

Another headshake.  Concern warred with confusion over her silent responses.  "Kathryn, you're not looking well at all.  Maybe you should go to Sick—" 

"I've already seen the Doctor." 

Finally, she was talking.  "What did he say?" 

"I'm pregnant." 

The whispered words didn't register with him at first.  When they finally sunk in, he blinked at her in shock.  _Pregnant._   "You....you're....how?"  Coherent speech had failed him. 

"I think you _know_ how." 

_Of course I know how._   Forgetting their night of passion would have been an impossibility, as every moment of it had been indelibly branded into his memory.  It was hard to believe that night had been nearly three months ago, but the usual crises and chaos of the Delta Quadrant had given them little time to talk to each other outside of duty, especially in the past several weeks.  As the weeks had passed without the subject ever coming up, he had come to accept that night as a moment of pure chance, a treasured memory that would never be revisited.  But now he was being forced to face the memories along with the additional consequence that night had created. 

_I'm pregnant_.  The last time he'd heard those words had been a nightmare not only for him, but for the entire crew....  He shoved away the memory of Seska's mocking smile with a shake of his head and forced himself to refocus.  Kathryn was having a baby.  

No.  Kathryn was having _his_ baby. 

Some part of him had given up on the dream of children of his own.  He had resigned himself to the idea that, unless they got home any time soon, their relationship couldn't progress beyond the close friendship they already shared.  Now the possibility of his dream hung tantalizingly within reach, yet he wondered if it would burst like a bubble if he reached out to grab hold of it. 

Shaking himself again, he turned his attention back to Kathryn to find her still staring out the viewport, unmoving.  When he touched her shoulder, he felt and saw the visible tremor that ran through her body and he sighed quietly in self-reproach.  Deciding to take the risk of closer contact, he stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her in friendly comfort; she immediately turned into him and the hug became a close embrace.  "You thought I would be upset?" 

He felt her nod against his chest and he tightened his hug for a brief moment, running a hand up and down her back in a soothing caress.  After a few minutes, he felt her tension drain away and he guided them to sit on the sofa. 

“Well,” he began, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, “this is definitely not something I ever expected to have you tell me—but it’s certainly not unwelcome.”  _Unless it’s unwelcome to her…._   The dark thought flitted through his mind and he forced himself to consider it.  Kathryn’s main goal had always been about getting them home and she was a stickler for protocol to boot; a potential pregnancy would certainly interfere with that on both scores.  

She returned the hand squeeze.  "To be honest, I didn't know what you would think.  I was having a difficult time moving past the words 'you're pregnant'."  Shaking her head with a sigh, she lifted her gaze to his.  "Whether or not I would be doing this alone hadn't really entered my mind." 

"Kathryn, you're not alone, especially in this situation.  I'm here for you no matter what you decide to do.  And I know that this isn’t the place for that discussion.”  He gave her hand another light squeeze.  "Dinner tonight?"  She nodded, but the way the color drained from her face alarmed him and he hurriedly tapped his badge. 

“No, I’m fine.”  Her hand on his wrist gave him pause.  “I just need a few minutes to sit still, then I’ll be fine.” 

“I can at least have the Doctor send up an anti-emetic.” 

“He already gave me one.  Apparently, it’s not working—or else my body’s impulses are stronger than it is.”  She grimaced and closed her eyes. 

“Come here for a minute.”  She leaned back into his offered embrace and he massaged the nape of her neck in slow circles.  “Breathe slowly and deeply.”  He demonstrated and, after several minutes, her harsh, shallow breaths slowed to match his.  Still, he continued the massage until she shifted to sit upright again. 

"Thanks." 

"Of course."  The chirp of the commline interrupted them; Seven was requesting that the Captain come to Astrometrics in order for her to look over the latest scans because there were "several locations of particular interest" in the space ahead. 

"Want me to go?" 

"No, I'll manage.  It's better if I just try to go about my daily routine as much as possible."  She accepted his hand as she stood up and sucked in another deep breath before leading the way out of the ready room.

 

* * *

 

 

Five minutes later, Kathryn stepped through the doors of Astrometrics.  “What have you found?” she asked by way of greeting. 

“There is a system thirty-three light-years distant that may prove to be of interest.”  Seven keyed in a quick command, and the screen’s view rotated to display the system in question.  “It is an F-type star with eleven planets.  The fifth planet is M-class and preliminary scans show potential dilithium deposits.”  The screen zoomed in on the planet, displaying its topographical data and highlighting the sources of the deposits in green.  

“Is the planet inhabited?” 

“Preliminary scans do not show any evidence of civilization, warp-capable or otherwise.  Not in this system, nor within the any of the nearest three star systems.”  Seven expanded the view until all four star systems filled the curved screen.  “I will, of course, perform more extensive scans as we get closer, but thus far, it may be a potentially acceptable candidate for a supply gathering mission.” 

"A veritable Goldilocks Zone if those scans prove to be accurate," Kathryn murmured, a wry smile emerging.  If the scans _were_ accurate on both counts, the chance to resupply without dispute or fighting to negotiate would certainly be a welcome change. 

"'Goldilocks Zone'?" 

"Old-fashioned astronomy slang.  Its origin came from determining the habitable zone of planetary rotation...."  Her explanation trailed off as a sudden wave of dizziness took over and she blinked rapidly, digging her fingers into the console for equilibrium. 

“Captain, are you ill?” 

Kathryn shook her head, instantly regretting it when the nausea threatened to resurface.  “I’m fine.” 

“Are you certain?  Your face has lost significant color, and your blood pressure has increased by point-seven percent.  Perhaps you should visit Sickbay—“ 

“Seven, I’m _fine._   And I’ve already seen the Doctor.”  _Breathe in, breathe out._  

“Perhaps you should sit—“ 

“No.”  As the deep breathing began to have the proper effect, she loosened her grip on the console.  

Seven’s optical implant rose.  “I will never cease to understand why it is an individual states that they feel ‘fine’ when in fact the opposite is the case.” 

She was in no mood to debate semantics with the younger woman and forced what she hoped passed for a reassuring smile.  “It was just a momentary dizzy spell.  I promise that I’m fine.”  Heading for the door, she added over her shoulder, “Keep me up to date on those scans.”  

“Of course.” 

 

* * *

 

Chakotay had arrived at Kathryn's quarters for their intended dinner, only to have the chime go unanswered.  When paging her also went unanswered and the computer informed him that she was indeed inside, he keyed in her door code.   Each of them had given one another their personal codes two years ago in the event of an emergency, but he'd never had reason to use it until now.  

He found her slumped in the lounge chair she normally used for reading, still in uniform.  Her deep, even breathing told him why she had not answered the chime or his hails.  A single padd lay on the floor within inches of her dangling fingers.  Smiling, he picked it up and placed it on the table next to her, then snagged the throw off her couch and tucked it around her carefully.  She would no doubt try to scold him for allowing their dinner and discussion to be delayed another day, but he was loath to disturb her when she was sleeping so deeply.  Spirits knew she needed it—and how much more she'd need in the weeks to come. 

Returning to his quarters, he snagged his medicine bundle off its shelf and forced himself to settle down on the floor.  Perhaps going on a run with his spirit guide would alleviate some of the restlessness.... 

 

_He opened his eyes to the familiar sight of the moonlit forest glade. A soft rustle to his left alerted him to her presence and he turned to greet her. But she did not stop, instead pausing only for a moment to lick his offered hand before leading him down the trail that lay before them. He jogged to catch up with her and she hurried ahead, never allowing him to get close enough._

_“What is your hurry, sister?” Then a flash of moonlight revealed another figure several meters ahead of the wolf, moving along the same trail—a smaller animal, darting in an erratic manner from one bush to another. It took him another minute to realize that his guide was in pursuit of the smaller creature. At first, he thought it might be a rabbit but its slinking, sprinting motions were nothing like a rabbit's typical gait. Curious, he picked up his pace as the trail reached the crest of a hill before turning to curve down its opposite side._

_The wolf gained further ground while he made his way down the hill, finally pausing at the base to wait for him to catch up. When he did, she licked his hand again, then turned and swiftly vanished into the nearby trees. He was about to follow her when an odd chattering noise drew his attention back to the smaller creature. Some instinct told him that this new creature was present for a purpose and he turned to follow it instead._

_A flash of brown between a downed tree and a cropping of brush led the way and he continued his pursuit. If only he could get a good enough look at it to see what it was, perhaps that would satisfy some of his curiosity. He leaped over the downed tree and found himself entering a clearing where moonlight streamed through and a figure, cloaked in the shadows cast by the sky-reaching trees, sat on a stump. Only the shimmer of silver at the crown of the figure gave him away._

_"Chakotay, my son, I could never fool you. I could hide in the shadows and play childish games with you, but you have always been able to find me, even when you were the one who was lost. Come, sit with me—tell me what troubles you on this beautiful night."_

_“I’m going to be a father.”  Speaking the words gave him an odd sense of déjà vu and he pushed away any thought of Seska's long-ago treachery, not wanting those dark memories to disrupt his concentration._

_Kolopak was silent for a long moment before he spoke. “It seems we have had this conversation before, have we not? Is this as distressing a time as the last? I can sense turbulence within you.”_

_He managed a smile. “No, Father. This time....this time, I was actually a willing participant.” **More than willing....**_

_“Your Kathryn?”_

_“Yes.”_

_Kolopak nodded. “I am not surprised, Chakotay. You have long spoken of her with great affection; it is good to know that you have finally come together.”_

_“I wish I could believe that it were that easy."_

_"Does love not fill your home? For if it does, then what else should matter?"_

_Chakotay sighed inwardly, wondering how to explain it to his father. "You know we are still so far from home. We have found ways to shorten the journey—and we may yet discover other shortcuts, but then again, it still could take our lifetimes.  Then there is the child….can we balance our primary responsibilities and still have time for him or her? And there are also the many unknown dangers that lie ahead. If something were to happen to one or both of us, how would it affect the child?”_

_“You must not dwell on what ifs, my son. Focus on what matters: your love has created the greatest of gifts. As for the adversities that lie ahead in your path, that is but the nature of the universe. Overcoming adversity begets strength. You and your Kathryn are already strong individuals. Together, you will be even stronger. And your child will inherit that resilience.”_

_"Father, strength is a fine attribute, but strength alone is not enough. And in these uncertain times, how can we stay both true to our responsibilities to the ship and crew and our responsibilities in raising the child?"_

_"All times can be considered uncertain," Kolopak replied. "It depends on how you apply the definition of uncertain. The raising of children is a learning process both for parent and child, but it is certainly not beyond either of you. Finding the balance between duty and parenthood is merely a matter of adapting to your new circumstances.  After all, you cannot undo the creation of this child."_

_As if to solidify his final point, a furry face poked out from the base of the stump Kolopak was seated on. Bright golden eyes stared up at Chakotay with a hint of wariness and curiosity.   He realized it was the creature he had seen before and that its fur was not brown, but a reddish-gold._

_Kolopak looked down at the small creature. "It's about time you stopped hiding back there," he said with a hint of sternness.  "I told you that wolf is nothing more than a harmless troublemaker."_

_The small creature moved further into the light; Chakotay saw that it was a young fox, older than a cub but not yet fully grown. It swished its bushy tail and continued to stare at him.  Its presence was a curiosity, though he realized this must have been the creature that the wolf had been tailing earlier.  But he usually never saw any other animals, except for his own guide—_

_“You are the child’s spirit guide,” he breathed.  The realization was so simple it almost made him laugh.  Instead, he extended a hand towards the young animal.  The cub barked softly in acknowledgement, but did not leave Kolopak’s side._

_Kolopak reached down to rub behind the cub’s ears.  “I too had my own concerns about fatherhood.  But the moment I laid eyes upon you....”  He shrugged and smiled.  “Love erased all the dark clouds of doubt.  When you lay eyes on the child, you will understand.”_

 

The flickering firelight faded into the starlit dim of his quarters and he folded the medicine bundle back together, savoring the relief from the weight that had been plaguing him earlier in the day.  As he settled into bed, the image of the fox cub flitted through his mind and he smiled faintly.  He would take it one day at a time. 

* * *

 

Kathryn smothered a yawn behind her hand as she moved for the replicator.  She had had to struggle to stay awake all evening, refusing Chakotay’s offer to postpone their dinner for another night.  The topics during dinner remained focused on ship’s business, as they went over the list of engineering’s to-dos and Seven’s current data on the hopeful resupply and shore leave stop up ahead. 

Handing him his glass of merlot, she settled into the cushions next to him.  He glanced at the contents of her glass, recognizing the Altairian non-alcoholic cider by its lavender hue.  “Bliss?” he questioned. 

“Mhm.”  She took a careful sip, blinking at the slightly too sweet taste.  “Not the best substitute for my usual but it will have to do.”  After another sip, she turned her gaze up to his.  “And now we need to discuss how we’re going to handle this.” 

“All right.”  Setting his glass down on the table in front of him, he laced his fingers together.  “I know I already told you this, but I intend to be here for you, no matter what you decide."  His gaze dropped to his hands.  "Even if that means you'd rather....not have the child." 

"Termination?"  The thought hadn't even crossed Kathryn's mind and she was surprised at the flash of pain that crossed Chakotay's face when she voiced the word.  Setting her own glass down, she covered his tightly clenched hands with her own, waiting until he looked up at her again.  "That's not something I'd ever consider outside of the Doctor giving me a medical reason for why its survival would not be possible." 

He let out a heavy sigh and looked down at their hands again.  She could tell he was struggling for something to say; rather than push him, she released his hands and impulsively scooted closer to give him a quick hug of reassurance.  His arms encircled her waist and she felt a shudder go through him, prompting her to rub a hand in gentle circles over his back and shoulders.  Eventually, the tension began to fade under her touch by slow increments.  And she found herself relaxing into his embrace when he reciprocated the touch, allowing his warmth to chase away her own tension.  Several minutes passed before they pulled back from one another, and settled back into the cushions with their respective drinks.  The silence continued to reign as she turned her attention to the depths of her glass, idly running her thumb along the rim.  

“Those two months in the Void gave me far too much time to think."  It wasn't where she had originally wanted to start this explanation, but, at the same time, it made sense.  “About the choices I’ve made.  About what I have—and haven’t—done with my life.  About where my life is going, and, most of all, about facing cold reality.  We may get lucky and find a wormhole next week or next year, or we may never find one.  And while we will never stop looking for those possibilities, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that this is what we have, and it may be all we have."  She drained her glass in one shot, in an attempt to gain what courage she could from the overly sweet liquid, before meeting his eyes again.  "You once told me it was a bad idea to sacrifice the present for the future that might never happen.”  Slowly, she extended her hand towards him and he took it.  “It's taken me a few years to learn that lesson...and I might need a few reminders along the way."  

"I can do that."  He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.  “Letting go and learning to live in the present is a process.  But I did promise to lighten your burdens.  This is all part of that.  Our friendship has been a blessing, considering how our circumstances began—but the chance to have more with you, to share a child....it’s a dream that I had given up on.”

 "I had, too.  Now that it’s within reach, my whole point of view has shifted.”  She looked down at their hands, idly rubbing her thumb over his knuckles.  “And there’s so much to consider.  What the crew will think, for one thing.  More importantly, how to make sure we don’t run the risk of the professional and the personal affecting one another.” 

“It will take some compromise on both of our parts, but we’ve already built a great friendship as well as a professional relationship and managed fairly well, a few stumbling blocks aside,” he pointed out.  “I see no reason why we couldn’t take the next step and become a family.  It would just take some additional adjusting that I’m sure we are both capable of.” 

She nodded in acceptance of his point but her mind was already jumping ahead to her next thought.  “We'll also have to figure out how to handle this co-parenting angle.  Should we move you into closer quarters or just expand your current ones to accommodate the child's needs?  If you keep your current quarters, will there be enough space for you and the child?  And then there's you and I—do we get married or not bother with that formality?  Not that our relationship status will matter as far as raising the child, but we will need to eventually explain when they're old enough and curious...."  Her voice trailed off when she realized what she had just said. 

“If you’re concerned about how our being together might affect the command structure or the crew, then I’m okay with remaining how we are.    And if we do advance this relationship, whether it involves marriage or not, I can also promise you now that I will never use our personal bond or the child to undermine your authority.  But it’s up to you.” 

Despite his gracious words, she could see the flicker of wary hope that lingered in his eyes.  "You _do_ get a say in all this, you know.  These are personal decisions and they will affect your life too; you don't have to just go along with however I want it." 

"At the risk of sounding maudlin, if you are happy, I'm happy." 

She managed a wry half smile.  "How have you put up with me for the last five years?" 

"You've had the answer to that question for the last two and a half."  His grasp on her hand shifted so he could twine his fingers through hers. 

The familiar gesture brought a sudden lump to her throat, and she quickly turned her gaze away from his, blinking rapidly and silently cursing the hormones that were no doubt the cause of this emotional onslaught.  She sensed rather than heard his murmured "come here" and accepted the offered hug, deciding that she would be able to regain her equilibrium if she allowed herself to lean on him just this once and just for a minute or two. 

 The minute turned into several minutes and, the more time that passed, the more Kathryn found herself reluctant to move from Chakotay's arms.  Instead, she closed her eyes, embracing the luxury of holding someone and being held.  Except for their one night together, it had been years since she had experienced this level of contentment. 

_You could have this every night if you just say the words,_ the little voice in her head tempted.  That thought made her realize that her inner voice was right—that continuing to remain alone, holding herself apart under the pretense of protocol, was no longer an option.  Not that preserving the command structure wasn’t of utmost importance, but if they handled a more personal relationship discretely and with care, it would be far less of an issue.  She’d used the burden of command to deny herself too much already.  Why couldn’t she have more than friendship with the man who loved her—and who she loved in return?  

_Loved._  Yes, she could admit that now, she thought drowsily.  Shifting in Chakotay’s arms to a more comfortable position, she lay her head against his chest and allowed the steady thump of his heartbeat in her ear to relax her into sleep. 

 

* * *

 

In the past, when the thought of sharing something more than friendship with her first officer had come to mind, Kathryn had shut it down immediately.  Even after their one night together, she had avoided the subject with the reasoning that allowing anything more than their friendship would become a glaring distraction, one that would lead her to second guess her decisions or hesitate in the face of a crisis.  Those intrusive thoughts, along with the inner voice that sternly reminded her of fraternization protocols and the inherent dangers of allowing her professional and personal lives to mix, had been her shield.  Acknowledging that she had the ability to let go of that shield and doing so had been almost anticlimactic.  The fact that they were in peaceful space helped and things were bound to change when the next crisis crossed their path, but for now, she would take what she could get.  

Even off duty, it was much the same, with subtle changes.  They were having dinner in her quarters more frequently now and she was already looking forward to the possibility of every night, at least when duty would allow it.  After dinner discussion had shifted to more intimate lines of conversation as they both began sharing details and stories previously kept to themselves, and a foundation for this new shift in their relationship began to take shape. 

Now, three weeks later, Kathryn sat at the head of the conference table, watching the senior staff trickle in.  _Voyager_ was due to arrive at the planet, which Stellar Cartography had dubbed "Taiga", in four days.  The prospect of a two-month break after five years of mostly non-stop peril and stress seemed too good to be true.  Although, between the plans to fully restock the storage and cargo bays with as much as they could carry and Engineering's thirty-page to-do list that B'Elanna was determined to complete, it wasn't exactly going to be all shore leave. 

The meeting was fairly animated; it was clear that everyone present had a shared enthusiasm for this delay, as plans flew back and forth across the table and were debated, reworked and finalized.  _Voyager_ would be landed in a valley on the south-central continent, making it easier for the major repairs to be done.  Everything that they would need appeared to be available on Taiga itself, from metals and minerals to potential food supplies, negating any need to use the shuttles to travel offplanet.  It had also been decided that, to save energy for the repair work ahead, most of the crew had made plans to "camp out" in the valley.  The idea had originally been Tom's, but almost everyone was on board with it.  

“Once we’re landed, my staff can beam over to the mountain ranges to begin the mining,” B’Elanna put in.  “We should have what’s needed for the nacelle repairs mined in about 36 hours, 48 tops.  After the repairs are completed, we can mine surplus minerals at a slower pace.” 

“Good.”  The captain turned to Seven.  “Anything new on the latest scans?” 

"The scans I completed yesterday show no evidence of warp or impulse trails or any other evidence of interstellar travel.  It would appear that this sector is not an area of interest, likely because of the complete lack of civilization and humanoid life.  More detailed scans of the planet itself prove an extensive variety of flora and fauna, but the latter's most sizeable predators appear to be confined to the mountainous regions.  A simple array of sonic field generator beacons placed in key areas can be used to deter them." 

"I've already drawn up the first rosters for supply gathering." Neelix tapped a finger on the PADD in front of him.  "The moment we are safely on the ground, the first harvesting and hunting teams will be ready to go." 

“And the best part is that we can look forward to having the place to ourselves for once,” Tom added. 

“Definitely.  All right, if there’s nothing more?”  When everyone shook their heads, Kathryn gestured for dismissal, her gaze moving to Tuvok as everyone rose.  “Tuvok, if you have a minute?” 

“Of course, Captain.”  He had risen from his chair but remained standing beside it while the others filed out one by one.  Once the room was clear, she met Tuvok's impassive gaze.  

"I'm not sure where to begin." 

"Perhaps if you just state what is on your mind." 

"I thought you should be aware that Chakotay and I have decided to advance our relationship on a personal level, which will be including shared quarters in the near future.  Now I know that this is technically against fraternization protocols and that still troubles me on some level; however, I have come to realize that perhaps it's time to let go of that...." 

"And you would be correct, Captain." 

His words stopped Kathryn short.  "You mean....you don't disapprove?" 

"On the contrary.  Over the past five years, you and Commander Chakotay have formed a bond that has proven strong and true.  The positive psychological benefits you have both gained from this bond have clearly compensated for the incidents when you were at odds.   I believe that for you to deny yourselves further development of your relationship would not only be detrimental for both of you, but could also prove harmful to crew morale in the long term." 

She stared at him for several seconds, almost not believing her ears.  

Unperturbed by her expression, he continued, "As for your concerns about protocols, they are valid; however, we can avoid any conflict by implementing additional procedures that will permit a transfer of command should there be any instances in which your emotional judgement could compromise any future command situation.  You and the Commander already both possess the proper decorum to keep a personal relationship separate from your duties and I am confident that you will continue to do so.  Therefore, I see no reason to disapprove of this new step in your relationship.  And if you are ever in need of an officiant for a formal ceremony, I would be honored to do so." 

She let out a sigh of relief, glad to not have faced the stern disapproval she'd been expecting from her oldest friend, and a faint smile crossed her face.  "You knew I was going to ask you about marrying us?" 

The security chief raised an eyebrow.  "I did not.  But I sensed that you had a request far more important than merely seeking my personal approval." 

She shook her head in bemusement.  "You'll need to speak to the Commander about the details; the ceremony is from his tribe.  Tom and B'Elanna will be our witnesses.  We're waiting until we get to Taiga to find a suitable location." 

Tuvok nodded.  "Then I will speak to the Commander at my earliest convenience." 

She thanked him and watched him depart, then followed with a sigh of relief and a sense of cautious optimism.  If Tuvok's approval had been this simple to gain, it gave her hopes that the rest of the crew would be just as willing to give their blessing.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  Many thanks to CarlynRoth for coming up with J/C's absolutely gorgeous personal vows.  I’ve tweaked them some but she is the inspiration behind them.  Also thanks to RSB for giving me a boost on the P/T banter.
> 
> Tuvok's closing recitation in the wedding ceremoney comes from [this page](http://www.weddingsbyashleigh.com/native-american-blessings.html). Tom and B'Elanna's recitation was found on another page about Native wedding practices, which is unfortunately no longer active.

 

 

The chill breeze that rustled through the tall trees and nipped at the back of Kathryn’s neck went almost unnoticed, as did the sonorous rhythm of Tuvok’s recitation.  She stood with Chakotay in a small clearing, her hands in his, the warmth of his touch and the tenderness in his eyes grounding her in the moment.  Twice before, she had anticipated having such a day, always envisioning the standard church-based ceremony and accompanying formal reception with all its trappings. 

Instead, she stood beneath a violet-gray alien sky, with her oldest friend officiating and her helmsman and chief engineer as their sole witnesses, lost in the eyes of her first officer and best friend.  And somehow it felt far more right than any traditional ceremony could ever have been. 

“I once told you that serving you, committing myself to easing your burdens, was what saved me from being entirely consumed by my anger—that it brought me the peace I had looked for my whole life."  Chakotay's soft words drew her out of her moment of introspection.  "Even then I knew that I loved you, and I thought there was no way I could love you more. But as time went by, I found that I was wrong; I love you more every single day.”  
  
He gave their intertwined fingers a gentle squeeze.  “Today, I promise to strive to love you better every day that you let me. I promise to keep doing whatever it takes to lighten your burdens, to always be here for you—and for our child. I told you before, and I'll tell you again, you're not alone. You never have been, and you never will be, for as long as we both shall live.” 

Kathryn didn’t miss the indrawn breaths of surprise from Tom and B’Elanna and could almost feel Tuvok’s raised eyebrow at the mention of the baby, but she kept her focus on the man standing before her, swallowing the lump in her throat at the weight of promise and devotion in his words.  Heat stung her eyes and she closed them for a moment, taking that moment to push away the hormone-driven urge to let her emotions run away with her.  Every word of her carefully prepared speech disappeared from the front of her mind and she found herself speaking what came to mind at that exact minute. 

“There's an old piece of Irish folklore about a pot of gold waiting at the end of every rainbow. Someone once told me to look for love, instead, for it is more precious than gold.”  Her gaze dropped to their hands.  “I lost faith in that for a very long time, but you’ve helped me find that faith again—faith in the magic of love.”  She lifted her eyes to his again and wasn’t surprised to see the emotion there, undisguised and open.  “So, I stand here this day, ready to take that leap of faith with you. I promise to love you, to cherish you, and to share your burdens as you’ve promised to lighten mine, no matter what joys or trials may lie ahead, for as long as we live.” 

She spoke the last words in a shaky rush, once more fighting the urge to allow her emotions to take over.  A few deep breaths helped to push back that impulse and she turned at the gentle touch of B’Elanna’s hand on her arm, meeting the younger woman’s smile with her own as she accepted the ring B’Elanna had been holding for her.  Turning back to Chakotay, she took his hand and slowly slid the ring onto his finger as B’Elanna began a recitation of her own.  

“Circles have no beginning and have no end, and so in the long and sacred tradition of marriage, rings have come to symbolize eternal love and endless union of body, of mind, and of spirit.” 

Tom stepped up beside his wife, handing Chakotay a second ring.  “We are here to witness the making of this promise, and the giving of all the intangibles of heart and spirit: love, trust, faith, and hope, not just in each other, but also in your relationship.” 

“You are making a declaration before all of you that from this day forth, you will be united before the world in a promise that spans the years of your lives.”  The cool sensation of metal encircling her finger was followed by the light warmth of Chakotay’s lips brushing her knuckles and she shivered at the tender touch. 

“And as we witness your covenant to each other, may we be reminded of the promises we’ve made in other times and other places to the people we’ve chosen to love and cherish,” Tom finished, smiling sideways at B’Elanna. 

The breeze picked up into a stronger gust, and Tuvok's deep baritone rose above the rattle of the rustling leaves.  "Above you are the stars, below you are the stones.  Like the stars should your love be constant. Like the stones should your love be strong. Be close, yet not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with one another; for storms will come, but they too shall pass. Be free in giving of affection and warmth. Have no fear, and let not the ways or words of the unenlightened bring you unease.  For the Great Spirit is with you, now and for eternity." 

Leaning up on tiptoe, Kathryn locked her lips to Chakotay's, eliciting a murmur of surprise from him and a brief stumbling as he quickly released his hold on her hands to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her closer for a long minute.  She dimly heard suppressed laughter from their witnesses when they finally pulled back to smile at one another before turning to the others.  Tuvok accepted a handshake and the briefest of hugs respectively before departing.  Both lieutenants didn't hesitate in expressing their best wishes in the form of fierce hugs. 

"I guess we should say double congratulations, hmm?" Tom teased. 

"Well since _someone_ let the cat out of the bag...." Kathryn threw a mock glare of rebuke at Chakotay.  "And yes, before you ask, you can tell the rest of the crew—about both." 

"Just ignore the dull roar you'll probably hear down in the valley this evening," Tom replied with a wink as he and B'Elanna turned to leave.  "I know everyone will be as thrilled as we are for you two." 

Kathryn and Chakotay watched the younger couple descend the path towards the valley hand in hand until they disappeared from sight; he then took her hand, leading her in the opposite direction.  All her questions about the "perfect" spot he had found for them went unanswered but for a "you'll see" and a secretive grin cast over his shoulder.  

Five minutes later, the sound of rushing water greeted her ears a moment before they rounded a bend and her mouth dropped open at the sight of the small waterfall spilling down ten meters or so into a wide pool.  Beneath a grove of the thin, spiky trees sat a conical structure that seemed more shelter than tent, but her gaze was drawn back to the waterfall, her attention narrowing with interest on the misty haze hovering just above the water and the larger clouds of haze billowing from the waterfall itself. 

"It's a hot spring!" 

His gentle laugh tickled her ear.  "Well, there wasn't time to build you another bathtub, so I hope this will do instead." 

"It's perfect."  A stronger gust of wind blew a mixture of warm and cool into their faces, steam from the pool blending with the present winter-like chill.  She felt Chakotay shiver and quickened her pace, taking the lead and pulling him towards their shelter.  Once inside, she wrapped her arms around him.  "Better?" 

"Perfect," he murmured, dropping a kiss into her hair.  She smiled at that and cupped his cheek, leaning up to meet his lips.  Soft, sweet kisses soon grew heated and passionate, and the removal of clothing quickly followed as they sank together into the soft covers of their marriage bed. 

 

* * *

 

 

Kathryn turned to lap around the spring for the fourth time, luxuriating in the liquid warmth.  The fifth and final day of their “honeymoon” time had dawned overcast and colder than usual, leading her to turn her morning bath into a lengthy, lazy swim.  Chakotay had ushered her out of the shelter an hour ago with a laugh, saying he would join her before long but, by her attempt at tracking time, he’d remained inside longer than usual.  

Just as she decided to brave the frigid air to fetch him, he exited the shelter and hurried to the water’s edge to dive in.  Laughing, she cut across the spring to join him. 

"Well, it's about time, Commander."  Putting her hands on her hips lost its effectiveness when she had to tread water to balance herself, so she settled for a mock glare.  "I was wondering if you were ever going to come out of there." 

He grinned sheepishly.  "My talk with B'Elanna went on a little longer than I expected." 

"Ah yes, your 'surprise'."  Chakotay had asked to take charge of consulting with the engineering staff on the remodel of their personal quarters; Kathryn pretended not to know what he was up to whenever the subject happened to come up.  "I've been waiting to show you _my_ surprise." 

"Oh?" 

Instead of responding, she turned and began swimming in a steady freestyle towards the waterfall.  The steam had thickened into a light fog, leading Kathryn to navigate by sound and an outstretched hand.  Her fingertips brushed the edge of the waterfall's spill and she stepped into it, taking a moment to indulge in the almost too hot flow pouring down on her head before Chakotay's hand grazed her arm.  Reaching back, she grabbed his hand and quickly stepped through the waterfall into the open space beyond that she knew was there, leading him behind her.  

When she had made her discovery earlier, she hadn't taken time to look too closely at the cavern's interior.  Now, her eyes measured every inch of the small hollow.  The area behind the waterfall didn't appear to extend more than four meters, the pool taking up most of that area and leaving a small shore at its far end.  Blue-gray plants covered what ground existed there and even trailed in the water in some spots, appearing to be a mixture of large cordate leaves with lengthy, feathery fronds sprouting out below them.  Beneath her feet, a spongy feeling plant material cushioned every careful step.  Faint light from holes in the cavern ceiling also allowed cool air to seep in, tempering the warmth that already filled the enclosed area.  The water's depth was no deeper here than outside, and she was able to stand comfortably while she studied the glimmering spots in the highest curves of the cave walls.  Chakotay's hands came to rest on her shoulders, breaking her focus. 

“Amazing,” he murmured in an awed tone.  “I wonder what causes the luminescence.” 

“It’s too high up to get a closer look at it.”  She squinted at it for a moment longer, then shrugged.  “I guess it will have to remain a mystery.” 

“Giving up on a potential scientific discovery?  Who are you and what have you done with the real Kathryn?” he teased. 

“Maybe I have other discoveries in mind to explore—ones that are much more....accessible,” she countered, sliding a hand between them to palm the growing bulge in his swim shorts and smiling at the indrawn breath and reflexive tightening of his hands on her shoulders. 

“I seem to recall you…exploring along those lines most of yesterday….also, this morning....”  

Her exploring hand stole inside the shorts, fingertips grazing the heated flesh they found and he shuddered against her.  “But a good scientist must always _thoroughly_ test a hypothesis before coming to a conclusion,” she murmured, her words almost drowned out by his low moan.  Turning in his arms, she pulled lightly at his shorts, drawing him forward as she stepped back.  Several more steps brought the water down to mid-thigh level and a few quick tugs sent the clinging fabric to float on the water's surface.  Her hands moved back to caress and tease, and her lips smothered his moan of her name.  

His hands caught at the shoulder straps of her suit, baring her upper body to cool air and the warmth of his touch.  His lips marked a trail from her collarbone to her breasts, closing around one nipple to suckle while his fingers pinched and circled the other, leaving her gasping at the little sparks of pleasure.   

She suddenly found herself staring up at the cave's ceiling, the huge leaves providing a cold but soft cushion.  His mouth left her breast to descend to her belly, pressing reverent kisses to its slight curve while his hands divested her of her swimsuit entirely, then returned to her skin, sliding slowly up her thighs.   They soon met in the middle, two fingers pressing up inside her while his lips focused attention on the swollen nub; her whimpers of pleasure echoed off the cavern walls and she arched her hips into his touch.  Her ankles still dangled in the water and the contrast in temperatures added to the storm of erotic sensations, driving her all too quickly towards the edge. 

“Come for me, sweetheart,” he murmured.  The whisper of those words against her sensitive flesh triggered her climax, her voice rising in a sharp cry as she bucked against his mouth and hand.  He teased her through the aftershocks, slowly pumping his fingers in and out past her resisting muscles and trailing his tongue lightly along her folds until she squirmed away with a moan of protest at the overstimulation.  Sliding back down into the water, she lapped up random drops from his chest and belly, working her way down to her goal.  

"Kathryn...." 

"Uh-uh, Chakotay.  My turn."  She kissed along the length of his shaft before taking him in her mouth.  Her hands grasped his thighs, partly for balance, partly so she could caress his legs and swirl the surrounding water with her fingers to create little tickling currents.  She worked her lips and tongue over him in a slow tempo, savoring the taste of his skin and the way his hands clutched at her hair, his low groans echoing through the cavern.  Despite her own lingering arousal buoyed by the warm water and the sensual tone of his murmured pleas, she kept up her teasing until, with a final groan of her name, she tasted his climax.  His grip on her hair tightened and he thrust helplessly into her mouth for several moments as she hummed softly between swallows, running her hands up and down his thighs in soothing motions before releasing him.  He slumped to his knees with a resounding splash, pulling her into a hug in the process. 

“Trying…to kill me?” he panted after several deep kisses. 

“Turnabout is fair play,” she purred, nipping his lower lip. 

“Hmm…I’ll keep that in mind.”   

They fell silent for an indeterminate amount of time, floating about and indulging in lazy afterplay stimulated by the water’s soft caress.  After awhile, tender touches turned energetic and soft, slow kissing and nuzzling graduated back to fierce and playful.  Grabbing at his arms for support, she wriggled her bottom against his renewed erection.  He growled in response, pushing off with one foot to float them back into the shallows.  

Once mostly out of the water again, she knelt above him, shuffling back and guiding him inside her with a moan of delight.  His moan echoed hers and his hands smoothed over the curve of her hips in a steadying grasp as she began rocking on him in an insistent rhythm.  Their movements stirred the water they knelt in into a froth, little rippling splashes swirling against where they were joined and adding a layer of sensation with each descent.  His lips found the sensitive spot below her ear, the low vibration of murmured endearments igniting sparks that shot straight to her fingertips and toes, sending her once more into orgasmic bliss.  

Spiraling back down, she became keenly aware of him still moving inside her, of the tension in his hands as they gripped her hips.  Pulling one hand loose, she moved it down between her thighs, letting him feel the slide of every thrust against his fingers.  Her free hand reached up to cup his cheek, turning his face to hers, her lips finding his in the lightest of kisses that contrasted with his body’s frantic movements.  “Come for me, Chakotay.” 

He groaned and shuddered against her, and she felt the warmth of his release spread inside her; his hips jerked against hers several times before he groaned again and slumped to sit back on his heels, his arms pulling her in tight against his trembling frame.  Long moments passed, the only movement her hands tenderly running the length of his arms and the only sound the hushed roar of the waterfall behind them. 

Eventually, they separated but remained silent, communicating with soft kisses and light caresses as they helped one another redress.  Ducking through the waterfall, they emerged into a world slowly turning white; tiny flakes drifted in the cooler air away from the direct line of the waterfall’s steam cloud and a thin layer of frost already coated the ground.  Getting to the shelter became a race that ended in shared laughter, the door closing behind them returning the stillness once more. 

 

* * *

_Captain's log, stardate 52494_

_It's been four weeks since we set down on Taiga.  The uninterrupted time has been a blessing in disguise for the crew, both on duty and off.  The nacelles have been completely repaired for the first time in five years, the core refitted to almost new, and every inch of the outer hull is being inspected for even the smallest and most undetectable of microfractures.  Meanwhile, Engineering is three days ahead of schedule on Lieutenant Torres' to-do list for the interior, which includes creating various accommodations for the potential future growth of the crew and the expansion and refit of sickbay...._  

 

"....and you simply _must_ come aboard later, Captain.  Sickbay is only half redone, but, so far, the redesign is coming along wonderfully.  Two extra biobeds have been installed in the main area.  The storage room will soon include space for a small hydroponic bed that can be used for the herbal plants the science team has gathered; the medications I can create from these will go towards continuing to preserve the sickbay replicators.  Best of all will be the _four_ private alcoves for surgery and/or recovery, all with their own environmental controls, depending on the individual patient's needs...."  The Doctor gestured with great animation as he described down to the last detail the current progress of the engineering team working on his domain. 

"I've already got plans to do so, Doctor.  So, I'll just add a quick stop by sickbay to my list."  Hearing someone call to her, she turned to see Harry about a hundred feet away, gesturing for her attention.  "I'll be coming onboard about 1500." 

"And don't forget you'll have to come aboard tomorrow morning too." 

She resisted the urge to sigh in exasperation; a disadvantage to the crew's decision not to occupy the ship meant the Doctor insisted on pestering her in person with daily reminders about prenatal check-ups.  "I haven't forgotten."  Bidding him goodbye, she made her way through the knee high bluish grass to where Harry stood with Chakotay and Joe Carey.  The latter two were in deep discussion over the padd in Carey's hand until they spotted her heading their way.  Snickering under her breath at the way Carey snapped to attention when Chakotay nudged him, she bit her lip to hide the smile that wanted to escape.  Chakotay's project and its progress had become something of an inside joke between the command team, both enjoying the reactions to interrupted "secret" discussions and Kathryn pretending not to overhear the occasional snatch of conversation from one engineer to another if they were assigned to the project. 

Meanwhile, Harry was tapping his feet with what seemed like uncharacteristic impatience, though he waited until Carey had left to speak.  "Now that you're both here, do you have a few minutes?" 

"We do," Chakotay replied.  "What's going on?" 

Instead of replying, Harry tapped his badge.  "Kim to Paris." 

_"Paris here."_  

"The eagle has landed." 

_"Acknowledged."_  

Kathryn raised an eyebrow.  "Harry?" 

The ensign grinned.  "You'll see, Captain." 

The distinct hum of an impulse engine echoing from the west broke the relative stillness.  Kathryn turned towards the sound just as a small diamond-shaped craft appeared on the horizon, its Starfleet lines becoming more apparent as it closed the distance.  Swooping over the heads of the gathered crew, the craft banked a wide curve near the opposite horizon and performed a series of zigzagging darts above the eastern forest before ascending into the stratosphere and briefly vanishing from sight. 

Kathryn turned to the still beaming Harry.  "Is this what I've seen you two whispering about the past couple weeks?" 

"Yup.  We wanted to surprise you." 

The _swoosh_ of the craft's descent drew her attention once more; it returned much the way it had come, looping past the forest and back overhead, coming to land a dozen meters behind Voyager.  As the crew hurried over, the shuttle's hatch opened.  Tom emerged first, followed by B'Elanna, Seven of Nine and finally Vorik.  Tom weaved through the crowd, accepting the praise and backslaps as he made his way to the command team's side. 

"So what do you think, Captain?" 

"I don't know whether to be miffed that you didn't let me in on this project or to praise your ingenuity," Kathryn admitted.  "Maybe a combination of both.  But it's not nice to leave your captain in the dark," she added, fixing him with a slight glare. 

"Wouldn't be a surprise if we'd told you, though," Tom winked, gesturing her to follow him as he headed back to the shuttle.  "Don't worry, Tuvok supervised." 

"How long did it take to construct?" Chakotay asked. 

"About two weeks, though this is something B'Elanna and I have been working on in concept form for about six months now.  Because let's face it—standard Starfleet shuttles just don't cut it in the Delta Quadrant.  We've needed something bigger and better since we got here. So...." The pilot gestured with a grin. "We built it ourselves." 

"In two weeks," she repeated, shaking her head in amazement. 

"Behold the _Delta Flyer_. Ultra-aerodynamic contours, retractable nacelles, parametallic hull plating, unimatrix shielding based on a design Tuvok's been working on, and a Borg-inspired weapons system contributed by Seven."  Tom gave the hull an affectionate pat.  "Wanna go inside?" 

"In a minute."  Curiosity piqued, Kathryn walked around it from stem to stern and back again, studying the exterior.  Up close, she could tell that its size was somewhat larger than the standard shuttle dimensions, as well as the obvious advantages to the hull design.  

"Impressive work, all of you."  The captain shook her head again as she rejoined the others. 

"This is, of course, a prototype," B'Elanna added, gesturing the captain and first officer ahead of her.  "But we'd like to build a few more, time and resources permitting, once this one has been given some proper run-throughs in space to fully test its capabilities." 

"If she performs as well as she looks, by all means," Kathryn replied. 

The interior proved to be quite roomy for the size of the craft and both Kathryn and Chakotay marveled over how well the limited space had been utilized.  Tom was in his element, pulling up specs for the weaponry and shields on the monitors and taking the ribbing in stride over the archaic, Captain Proton-esque controls he'd added to the central helm console.  "I'm tired of tapping at panels," he protested without rancor.  "When I fly this baby, I want to be able to _feel_ her every move." 

"You're going to make _Voyager_ jealous," B'Elanna countered, giving her husband an affectionate bump with her hip. 

Tom spun the seat around to face her.  "Oh, don’t worry," he said, grinning up at her.  "I’ll always have time for my one true love.”  B’Elanna smacked his arm, causing him to yelp. 

“Get a room, you two!” Harry called from the aft compartment.  

Kathryn simply shook her head again, unable to hide her laughter.  "We need to head over to _Voyager_ , so we'll make way for others who want to have a look.  Excellent work again, everyone."  She and Chakotay headed out through the aft compartment, weaving their way through the interested crewmembers trickling in to have a look of their own. 

 

* * *

 

 

_Stardate 52598.5_

 

_"...all—range....  —ware of heavy—or storms.  Satell—des—oyed.  Attention all ships....range....beware—hea—meteor storms...."_  

"Mister Kim?" 

Harry's fingers flew over his console, already anticipating the questions.  "The transmission appears to be genuine, Captain.  It's broadcasting on at least half the known subspace frequencies.  According to sensors, the source of the transmission is half a light-year away, coordinates 189 mark 51.  That’s in our direct path, but we can easily bypass that sector," he reported. 

Kathryn nodded.  "If we can circumvent this ‘meteor storm’ they're referring to and after we assess the situation, we'll see about offering aid.  Tom, set a course for those coordinates, warp seven until we're at the edge of the sector." 

"Aye, Captain." 

Six hours later, the bridge crew found themselves facing a scene of devastation.  What had first appeared to be a thin planetary ring proved to be the debris from the aforementioned satellites; chunks of metal and other unidentifiable objects floated in a thick, haphazard swirl above the planet's atmosphere.  Occasionally, a piece would reach the planet's Roche limit and succumb to the pull of the atmosphere, spiraling slowly downward before gaining sudden speed and disappearing in a fiery flash as it was consumed. 

"Damn," Tom muttered, shaking his head. 

"Harry, is the frequency the distress call was broadcasting on still active?" 

"Appears to be." 

"Let's give it a try, then." 

"Channel open." 

"This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship _Voyager_.  We picked up your distress call and have come to offer our assistance." 

Several moments of silence followed.  Harry glanced at his readings.  "As far as I can tell, the message has transmitted successfully." 

"Keep repeating it every five minutes on all available subspace channels as well as the current frequency," Kathryn ordered.  "We'll give them some time to respond."  

"I can imagine monitoring subspace is not a priority for them at the moment,” Chakotay remarked. 

“True.”  Kathryn settled back in her chair, shifting about to find the most comfortable angle; when she found it, she rested her folded hands on her belly with a sigh. 

"Feeling okay?" 

Kathryn glanced to her left to meet Chakotay's concerned gaze.  "Oh, you know me, Commander.  I've never liked waiting."  

He smiled his understanding. 

The waiting game eventually drove Kathryn to leave the bridge to Chakotay and retreat to the ready room a half hour later.  At least she could use the excuse of catching up on reports in order to avoid the disturbing sight of the mass of satellite debris being slowly consumed by the planet's atmosphere piece by piece.  And her ready room chair was somewhat more comfortable in her growing state.  She rubbed a hand over her belly, smiling at the flutter from within, then picked up the first padd in the stack and turned her attention to the work at hand. 

_“Ops to the Captain.”_  Ensign Lang’s voice echoed through the comm. 

Kathryn blinked at the sound of Lang's voice.  The chrono showed that two and half hours had already passed.  “Janeway here.” 

_“We’re receiving a transmission from the surface.”_  

“Patch it through to the ready room, Ensign.”  Pushing the padds aside, Kathryn keyed in her code on the console.  Wavering static momentarily filled the screen, then blinked several times and clarified into a rounded, ash-blue face with darker blue eyes surrounded by disheveled ivory hair.  Exhaustion had etched a multitude of lines into what she surmised was normally a cheerful, open expression. 

“I’m Captain Janeway.” She kept her voice calming, knowing that it would likely make communication less stressful. 

_“Yes, I recognize your voice from your earlier message.  Low toned for a femme, but distinctive.  Honorable.”_   The alien rubbed a weary hand over his brow.  _“I am Nepi Cironis, prime governor of the Ghe'shar’i Septarchy.  Or rather, what is left of it.”_   The last words were emitted on a heavy sigh. 

“Can you tell me exactly what happened?  Your distress call was damaged but we heard something about a meteor strike?” 

_“Aye.  This sector has periodic meteor storms that occur once every 6-8 centuries.  Our technology has advanced greatly in the last century and, thus, we focused our efforts on building a satellite warning system that would prevent future storms by detecting them and then using precise calculations for the onboard weapons to deflect the larger meteors away from our world.”_   Governor Cironis shook his head.  _“As you have seen, our efforts were quite unsuccessful.”_  

“I’m very sorry to hear that.  What is the extent of the damage?” 

_“Two-thirds of our Capital has been leveled, mostly the financial and education districts and, also, our three largest medical clinics.  The death toll may be unknown for some time, considering the inaccessible areas and the remote villages and small estates.  Our medics are attempting to set up temporary clinics, but undamaged space is at a premium.”_   A metallic _thump-bang_ sounded somewhere in the background and Cironis flinched visibly. 

Kathryn winced for him at his recoil, knowing what that level of exhaustion and dread felt like all too well.  “What are you and your people most in need of, Governor?  We are limited on what we have to offer, but we’ll do our best to assist.” 

Cironis shook himself, then straightened and adopted a firmer, more formal tone. _“I would not seek to deprive your crew, Captain.  But anything you have to offer will be most appreciated,”_ he nodded.  _“Relief teams from the far west province should arrive within a seven-day; we believe they were the only ones unaffected by the storm as they should have been out of range of the meteor cascades.  Until they do, our largest needs are medical.  The collapse of our primary clinics seriously depleted our number of medics and the ones still standing are overloaded.  The main power grids are also down, which means they haven’t the power to run their equipment or reproduce replacements.”_  

“I’ll speak to our doctor immediately.  I’m sure we can assist with your medical needs, both supplies and people.  I’ll need to meet with my senior officers first, but can contact you with an update in approximately six hours.” 

_"Excellent.  I will look forward to meeting with you in person as well."_   As if sensing her intention to protest, his tone became stronger.  _"It is an old Ghe'shar'i custom when we meet with other parties, and now other species, that we negotiate only with the highest in command.  An invitation to our land shows that we trust the opposite command are honorable and therefore harbor no plans of deception.  Meeting on our land ensures this—since using the meeting as a ruse for example, to attack us unawares, would endanger you as well as us.  Meeting face to face also ensures a level of greater trust that simply cannot be achieved over subspace."_  

Having no choice but to agree, Kathryn nodded and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.  "Then I will look forward to meeting with you as well, Governor." 

_“And, again, I am most grateful, Captain.”_  

“Of course.  We are glad to assist.  _Voyager_ out.”  She hit the disconnect key, then tapped her commbadge with a sigh.  “Senior staff, report to the briefing room in fifteen minutes.” 

 

* * *

 

Chakotay stepped onto the bridge, a pair of padds in hand, shaking his head in Tuvok’s direction when the Vulcan made to rise from the central chair.  After walking what seemed like the length of Voyager five times over in three hours, he was looking forward to finally getting off his feet, but not on the bridge.  Crossing to the ready room door, he tapped the chime and the door slid open to admit him.  

Kathryn was, as he expected, sequestered behind her desk, tapping away at her console with one hand and shuffling between four padds with the other.  He had a few moments to admire the sight of her as he always did before she glanced up from her console with a smile. 

“I’ve come to add to your workload.”  He passed the padds across to her, watching her eyes dart back and forth in time with the _chirp-chirp_ of her scrolling thumb.  "B'Elanna is going over all the systems in the _Delta Flyer_ , since this will be its first official mission.  Team two and the bulk of the medical supplies will be aboard the _Tereshkova_.  They’ll be ready to go by departure time at 0700."  

She nodded and thumbed them both, setting them on top of the stack to the right of her console.  "Tell team one to make room for one more on the _Delta Flyer_." 

Chakotay raised an eyebrow.  Surely, she wasn’t thinking of joining the away team?  Almost immediately, he dismissed the thought with an inward sigh.  Of course, she was and had already decided she was going, to boot.  He could already anticipate the pending dispute as he circled around the desk, offering her a hand.  "That's going to put the Doctor out of sorts," he began. 

Kathryn accepted the hand and pushed herself to stand, her free hand going to rub at the small of her back.  "Oh, that lecture's done and gone.  I've already been given my Doctor-reluctantly-approved strict instructions and I'm not to deviate from them on pain of holographic wrath."  She shook her head, then turned her attention to him.  "And is my first officer going to be put out of sorts?" she inquired. 

"You first officer is, of course, concerned.  On one hand, he knows the captain needs to do her job."  His fingers stroked over hers, even as he allowed himself to voice a sigh of mild frustration.  “On the other, you know I have to ask why you are insistent on going....” 

"When you should be going in my place, I know," she finished.  "And it wasn't my idea, actually."  She led the way to the couch under the viewport, sinking onto it and propping the toes of her boots on the nearby table with a sigh of relief.  "Governor Cironis is the one who's so adamant about requiring my presence planetside.  I swear he even anticipated my plans to quote Starfleet rule and gave me chapter and verse of an old Ghe'shar'i custom about how meeting in person ensures trust or something to that effect.  _And_ I got the feeling that saying no is not an option, if you know what I mean," she added with a roll of her eyes. 

Chakotay nodded.  "Then I'm going to insist you take Tuvok with you.  I know you can take perfectly good care of yourself, but humor me, please.  We both know all too well that, just because the government is friendly, doesn't mean the common citizens will be as happy to see us.  Even when we come bearing gifts and assistance." 

"The Doctor's already beaten you to it.  That was one of his conditions of 'allowing' me to leave _Voyager_."  Kathryn huffed a snort.  "Though, originally, it was _my_ idea.  I knew that you wouldn't be any happier about this than the Doctor is and, since you and I can't both be off the ship, then Tuvok should accompany me instead." 

"That will make me feel a little better knowing Tuvok will be there to watch over you," Chakotay admitted.  He met Kathryn's side-eye with a stare of his own.  "Because otherwise, you'll push yourself too hard, just like you always do." 

"I promise not to overdo it."  She held the narrow-eyed look on him for a full minute before one corner of her mouth quirked up.  "But Tuvok's going to get bored pretty quickly.  Given that this one is along for the ride—" she patted her belly, "—the Doctor has assigned me to act as senior medic for the medical officers in training on the away teams.  I got him to agree that looking over shoulders at medical tricorders and answering questions from first-time field medics would be safe enough work when I'm not dealing with the governor." 

"Makes sense," he agreed.  "Oh, the first officer has one more condition before he agrees to this plan." 

"Oh?"  She studied him suspiciously. 

"He will gently insist on an early bedtime—so the captain is sufficiently rested," he winked. 

Kathryn snorted a laugh and nudged an elbow into his ribs.  "I'll only concede to that if certain _other_ conditions are met." 

It was his turn to roll his eyes as he helped her off the sofa.  "Yes, I know.  I'm on dinner duty." 

"That's right."  She scooped up a handful of padds off her desk on their way out the door. 

 

* * *

 

The next morning, the  _Delta Flyer_  was put through her paces, as she and the _Tereskhova_ descended towards the Ghe'shen homeworld, both pilots navigating primarily by sensors.  What was typically a twenty-minute trip took closer to an hour in order to safely traverse through the murky, irradiated atmosphere and avoid the occasional falling projectile from above.   Visibility cleared up somewhat once they were below the stratosphere; portions of sunlight filtered through, giving the sky the false appearance of a late winter's day. 

The away teams alighted from the landed shuttles to be greeted by a panorama of destruction that rivaled what the bridge crew had witnessed on the viewscreen the day before.  A thick haze that contained a mixture of smoke and dust and bearing a lingering taste of minerals hung in the air over the buildings that still stood; all exhibited their own evidence of structural damage.  Assorted rubble littered the areas of open ground.  Most of the Ghe'shar'i were looking their direction but a group of five were picking their way towards the _Flyer_ and _Tereshkova_.  Kathryn recognized Governor Cironis from their earlier communication at the head of the group; he was accompanied by another male around his age and three females, all of whom looked no older than cadets, who turned out to be Consul Emni Otaln, two security officers and the consul’s niece, Svala.  

“It is good to meet you face to face, Captain Janeway,” the governor said once introductions were made.  “Emni and Svala can show your engineers to the power grids.”  After beta team departed for the power grids, the governor gestured for alpha team to follow him towards a bulky bronze colored building; heavy damage was apparent in the gardens and decorative areas around it, but the building itself seemed almost unscathed. 

"The Septarchy meets here every third year.  Thankfully, it withstood the meteor storm.  We expect that may be due to the tresiline used in its initial construction.  Originally, it was installed as protection against potential manmade threats; it has now proven to provide an additional benefit."  Cironis led the way into the massive atrium which was abuzz with activity and noise.  The high domed ceiling enhanced the echoing hum of multiple voices, the humming buzz of medical instruments and clacking of steps against the marbled flooring.  The healers stood out in their silver tunics and it was a tall stocky female clad in the distinctive outfit who gestured to another to take her seat in front of a bedside monitor before approaching the away team. 

"Captain, may I present Harati Thune, our Chief Administrative Medic.  Without her, we would be a lot worse off," the governor added. 

"I know you have expressed our gratitude already, Nepi, but I must also express my own thanks for your assistance, Captain," Thune replied warmly.  "Would you be able to start now?  If so, I can give you the details as we go." 

The next eight hours melted into a blur of asking and answering questions, tricorder screens and learning Ghe'shar'i faces and names.  Kathryn spent most of the breaks she took by the bedside of one patient or another; it was easier than going in search of the main rest area Thune had set aside for the away team.  Plus, many of the patients were eager to chat.  Even those less inclined for conversation invited her to remain when she found herself in need of a few minutes off her feet.  It was obvious they simply wanted a friendly face to spend a little time with them, even if it was an alien one. 

As afternoon shifted towards evening and the natural light from outside faded away, portable light sources flickered to life and voices automatically lowered.  After checking in with the engineering team on their progress, the captain took a moment to confer with Thune and Tuvok, then headed for the rest area.  She found it surprisingly roomy, even with the area designated for the away team's use sectioned off with damaged but still functional drapery.  Sinking down onto a nearby cot, she hailed _Voyager_ to give Chakotay an update as she worked at prying off her boots. 

"B'Elanna reports that they've been able to safely sever all the damaged active power conduits, so the threat of starting fires has been averted.  Now comes the hard part—putting it all back together again and making it function so these people can have power back." 

_"I'm sure she and the Ghe'shar'i engineers will figure out a way."_  

She hummed in agreement, sighing in relief as the second boot finally came loose and flexing her sore feet.  "What's the latest on the astrometric scans?" 

_"Seven's report from an hour ago shows no sign of another potential meteor strike,"_ Chakotay replied.  _"Long-range scans don't detect any reoccurrences either.  I'd say the cycle has passed, albeit with the unfortunate destruction left in its wake."_  

"Indeed."  She frowned in confusion at the silence over the commline, hearing instead soft, hurried footfalls.  "Commander?" 

_"I'm here."_   The swish of a door punctuated the response, followed by a thump.  _"Finally able to sit down and relax after what feels like all day on my feet."_  

"That makes two of us."  Kathryn stretched out, reclining against the pillow and setting her feet gingerly on the small cushion at the cot's opposite end. 

_"How are you feeling?"_  

She smiled at the tender concern that softened his tone.  "Tired but okay.  Though I could do with a good backrub right about now." 

_"You could always ask Tuvok."_  

Kathryn coughed back an inelegant snort; despite the serious tone in his voice, she could picture the grin on his face.  "Somehow I don't think his skill would be on the same level as yours.  You'll just have to owe me one," she added around a yawn. 

_"Whatever the captain requires...which right now, sounds like a good night's sleep."_  

"Hmm," she grumbled, shifting on her side and pulling the heavy blanket up around her.  "If I c'n sleep...."  Her voice trailed off as the pull of slumber began to overcome her. 

His low chuckle echoed through the commline.  _"Good night, my love."_   

 

* * *

 

 

Morning dawned dim and colder, with only fleeting glimpses of the weakest light filtering through the fog of dust and microscopic metals permeating the atmosphere.  Chill breezes found entrance through the broken windows and occasional gusts tore at the hastily-hung drapes, shocking everyone still asleep into sudden wakefulness.  Kathryn sent Tal, Wildman and MacAlister out with a pair of Ghe'shar'i medics to collect more items that could be salvaged for the triage center.  The rest assisted in moving the patients that could be safely moved further into the building's interior as quickly as possible, settling into a slow but steady rhythm of transferring the layout set up in the atrium into a series of subterranean offices and private conference rooms. 

"I had a feeling we'd have to move to the sub-level chambers eventually," Thune remarked from the doorway of a repurposed conference room as Kathryn guided an elderly woman to lie back in her cot.  She affixed the portable light source she was carrying to a hook in the wall.  "We'll all be better sheltered from the elements, but to communicate with your crewmates, you'll have to return upstairs.  The insulation in these walls tends to block most communication signals." 

Kathryn nodded.  "Understood."  Straightening, she stretched, reaching a hand to rub at the sorest spot on her back with a small scowl. 

"Captain, perhaps it is time you took another break," Tuvok pointed out as he placed an empty cot down for the next patient. 

"I feel fine, Tuvok.  We only have three more people to get settled, then I will take my break."  She knelt to retrieve the next set of blankets, handing them over to him while pretending not to see his raised eyebrow of disapproval.  Turning back to the doorway, she blinked at the sudden wave of nausea that hit her and realized its cause was the sensation of the floor wobbling under her feet.  

The elderly woman eyed her with concern.  "Dear girl, you're as white as these walls.  Best you be listening to your guard and come sit for awhile." 

Kathryn sucked in a deep breath to stem the nausea, and flexed her feet carefully.  The odd swaying sensation had vanished as quickly as it had arisen.  But she acquiesced, reluctantly taking a minute to sit until Thune and Crewman Telfer carried in another patient.  She rose to assist them. 

The moment she was back on her feet, her footing wobbled again.  Before she had time to contemplate the nausea, the wobbling shifted sharply to a violent shaking that upset her balance; she tripped over the little stool she'd been seated on and hit the ground hard, taking the brunt of the fall on her left hip.  Her pained yelp became lost in the clamor of voices that cried out in panic and fright at the building shaking around them.  Somewhere above them, a trio of loud thumps resonated through the walls and the cries increased, the patients who could move curling into fetal positions or staring fearfully at the ceiling.  Kathryn held her breath, both against the pain and her own fear; she, too, couldn't help but eye the ceiling herself as the shaking faded and the ground once more became still.  Sitting up with a wince, she gave the room a visual onceover and spotted Thune and Tuvok doing the same.  There were no visible cracks in the ceiling or any of the walls.  Patients and medics alike were shaken but unharmed.  Most of the bedside stools and tables had fallen over, spilling supplies onto the ground but none were damaged. 

Then a series of snaps filled the tense silence, and the room plunged into pitch black.


	3. Chapter 3

 

 _"Wildman to Voyager."_  

Chakotay glanced up from the PADD in his lap, frowning at the background noise that sounded like people shouting.  " _Voyager_ here, Ensign.  What's going on down there?" 

 _"There's been an earthquake.  The away—"_   A burst of static cut off the rest of her sentence. 

"Repeat, Ensign.  Your signal is breaking up." 

 _"—think—away t—trapped...."_   Another burst of static and a pair of popping sounds indicated the comm signal had been lost. 

Chakotay was on his feet and heading for the turbolift.  "Bridge to Astrometrics.  Scan the surface for seismic activity." 

 _"Yes, Commander."_  

"Paris, you have the bridge."  The pilot nodded, both in response to the spoken order as well as the unspoken one. 

The three-minute trip to deck eight seemed interminable and he had to force himself to walk at a swift but measured pace down to Astrometrics.  "Report," he barked the second he crossed the threshold, not even looking at Seven of Nine, but at the topographic display of the Ghe'shen capital with several areas highlighted in red and yellow. 

"Twelve minutes ago, seismic activity measuring 4.7 occurred on this fault line running under the western side of the capital."  Seven tapped in a quick command and one of the yellow highlighted areas blinked rapidly in response.  "Stress has been recorded on four other fault lines in the area, but whether or not they will rupture is uncertain." 

"The red areas?" 

"Those are the areas that have sustained considerable destruction from the meteor strikes," the former Borg reported.  "Normally such a small tremor would not have been cause for alarm, but due to this already existing damage, further instability is a possibility." 

 _"Bridge to Astrometrics.  Commander, the Governor is hailing us."_  

"Transfer the signal down to Astrometrics."  He waited until the static had cleared from the image before addressing the distressed blue-skinned alien.  "Governor, our scans are showing signs of an earthquake.  How serious is the additional damage?" 

"Yes, yes, this has not occurred in centuries and the only cause can be the meteor storm destabilizing the land."  Cironis rubbed at his face.  "Many already damaged structures have completely collapsed.  The Hall of the Septarchy is still standing; however, the damage it has sustained has trapped several of your crewmembers and the patients they were assisting in the sub-levels.  I—do not know how we will be able to safely rescue them in a timely manner." 

Chakotay tried to ignore the cold fingers of fear that were gripping his gut.  "Explain." 

"Tresiline ore was utilized as part of the Hall's construction and its purpose was to prevent manmade threats via transporting, either from without or within, and also to withstand conventional attempts at destruction, such as explosives and radiation.  Without the use of transporting to even move the debris...."  Cironis' voice trailed off and he sighed in frustration.  

"Is anyone down there severely wounded, Governor?" 

"Communications do not work in the sub-level chambers, Commander.  I have no way to determine anyone's status.  I do apologize." 

"No, I understand."  _Kathryn, please be all right._   "I'll send our engineers to you the minute I can get in touch with them.  I'm sure they will be able to devise a solution to quickly help the trapped people." 

"We will aid them however we can.  I am sorry to put this additional burden on your people."  Cironis gave a sorrowful nod as he terminated the link. 

Chakotay turned to Seven.  "Download your scans and be in the briefing room in ten minutes."  He turned to leave, smacking his badge on the way out and trying to ignore the worry churning in his mind. 

 

* * *

  

The darkness was absolute.  Shards of pain stabbed at her hip as she fumbled for the light source she knew should be within reach.  Searching hands located other items: some slender and metallic, others rounded, and finally a heavier, boxy item.  Pulling at its casing, it flipped open with a trill and she blinked against the tiny but intensely bright light that beamed forth. 

"There you are, dear.  Are you badly injured?  I saw you fall before we lost lights in here." 

Wincing as she turned to face her elderly patient, Kathryn forced what she hoped was a reassuring smile.  "I'm probably bruised on that hip, but I'm fine."  She squinted into the darkness around them.  "Tuvok?  Telfer?  Harati?" 

"Here, Captain.  I think I found a tricorder, too."  An answering chirp and a flicker of light several feet away revealed Billy Telfer's face.  

"I believe I have found another."  She turned in the direction of Tuvok's voice just as another open tricorder lit up his features. 

Accounting for everyone's well-being took some time, but returning the room to its organized state proved even longer.  Telfer located a pair of handheld beacons among the stored supplies and a third was borrowed from the team in the next room.  Exploration revealed that the stairwells connected to the main floor had caved in on both ends, the debris tightly packed and too large to be safely moved.  Worry gnawed at Kathryn when Thune reported this to her, but she forced herself to remain as calm as possible.  

Despite the best of efforts, the two medics with engineering experience struggled to get the emergency generators properly operational; the lights repeatedly threatened to flicker out again unless the levels were set at emergency dimness.  This disquieted many of the patients far more than the news of being trapped, and the resulting arguments and anxious fretting heightened the overall tension.  By early afternoon, everyone was exhausted and the near-total darkness tempted many with the lure of sleep.  The more distraught patients had worn themselves out, some not even waking up for the distribution of the evening meal rations. 

"We'll let them sleep," Thune commented.  "My concern is that there is no way to communicate with anyone aboveground that the only injuries down here are a lot of frayed nerves," she added wryly. 

"Rescue operations on the surface are no doubt underway, and there is no logic in allowing ourselves to become irrational as well," Tuvok pointed out.  "It would be prudent for us to retire early ourselves, as our sleep cycles will no doubt be disrupted by various patients who will awaken in an emotionally charged state." 

Kathryn didn't miss Tuvok's pointed gaze in her direction, even as she did her best to ignore her own creeping fatigue.  "Then let's make our last rounds now." 

The majority of the patients had already succumbed to sleep, only a few grumbling when a light passed over their faces.  Kathryn's last stop was the elderly lady and she spent an extra minute ensuring that the older woman's blankets were tucked snug around her so she would be warm enough.  She would have lingered longer but Thune's gentle touch on her arm reminded her of her own exhaustion and she headed for her own cot, allowing the doctor to carefully drape the blanket over her.  She closed her eyes but the baby's restless fluttering kept her conscious while her mind turned over various possible scenarios of what might be happening above ground, many of them dire.  Despite the tension such thoughts sent through her body, her mind finally relaxed and began to drift, sending her spiraling into a restless slumber. 

 

* * *

 

 

Harry Kim glowered at the console screen in front of him and its red, blinking display that mocked him.  He’d spent the entire day in Astrometrics running simulation after simulation in an attempt to reconfigure Voyager’s transporters.  The holodeck would have been preferable, but use of the Astrometric sensors allowed him direct access to data on the surface conditions, as well as immediate scans of the Hall of the Septarchy.  Part of him longed to consult with B’Elanna, but she and two others from her engineering team were confined to Sickbay after being injured during the quake.  He growled a curse under his breath and cleared the console. 

“Utilizing profanity as an expression of frustration is counterproductive, Ensign.” 

He jerked his head up at the comment, turning to stare at Seven blankly for a long minute as his weary mind attempted to process her words.  All he could muster up was “what?” 

“I said, utilizing profanity—” 

“Never mind,” he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and turning his attention back to the console.  He ignored the feel of her eyes boring into the back of his head, and instead began keying in parameters for a new simulation. Skimming over the current planetary data, he noticed that ion radiation levels in the atmosphere had dropped another half roentgen in the last half hour and inputted that new information. 

A shrill beeping from another console drew Harry's attention and he turned towards it, but Seven was already there, silencing the alarm with a single tap.  He watched her eyes dart over the screen but, as always, barely a flicker of reaction crossed her features. 

"A minor aftershock on fault line gamma, measuring 2.26."  He blinked, realizing belatedly that Seven was indeed addressing him.  "Nowhere near the away team's location, and not strong enough to be felt regardless." 

"Well, that's good, I guess," he mumbled, scraping a hand over his face again. 

"You require regeneration, Ensign."  

"It's been two _days_ since the first quake.  We have no idea what shape they are in—and a severe aftershock could happen at any time...." 

"And if a severe aftershock occurs, all our efforts will be irrelevant," Seven pointed out.  Harry's console beeped at him as if to punctuate her words and he smacked a hand down on it to silence the trilling beep that signified another failed simulation. 

"If the Captain were here, she would be encouraging you to regenerate.  Resuming your efforts in the morning will be more productive."  Seven's voice softened slightly.  "I will inform you if there are any critical changes in the planetary scans." 

Harry sighed.  "You win.  I'll see you in the—"  he glanced at the chronometer.  0059 hours.  "Later," he finished with a shake of his head. 

Despite his exhaustion, he forced himself to take the five minutes needed for a quick sonic shower and to change into comfortable clothes.  Sleep was bound to be a futile exercise; his mind was still too active, churning over ways to force the transporters to properly work.  His focus was on how to move the debris out of the caved-in stairwells.  Due to the tresiline ore in the walls, he'd already decided beaming the trapped survivors directly out of the building was too dangerous.  The engineers had found that the same element in the tresiline that blocked transporters also rendered industrial laser cutters useless.  Handheld laser cutters worked sporadically when they worked at all.  _There has to be some way to recalibrate the lasers even if we can't recalibrate the transporters...._

His fatigued mind began to drift, sending him spiraling into an odd dream where he was once again in Astrometrics.  

 _He stood at the console running simulations, his frustration mounting with each failed result.  And with every negative, the computer trilled a trio of notes at him._

**_C, A sharp, F....simulation failed._ **

Grunting, he twisted onto his side. _C, A sharp, F....  Now he recognized the primary descending scale from “Echoes of the Void”, his recent concerto.  When he looked back at the console, his calculations had disappeared, replaced with an unfamiliar score.  He frowned at the music onscreen; a composition of high notes at a fast tempo.  Running the melody through his head, he recognized it as a Bajoran tal’riha with one glaring exception—every third measure, that one scale from his concerto kept reappearing like clockwork, jarring the tal’riha’s energetic tones._  

 _Ordering the computer to play the score while displaying it on the central screen, he listened closely as the melody resounded through Astrometrics, his eyes tracing each note on display.  Mentally, he calculated the changes in tempo from the main melody to the low notes; it was a drop of over 2.2 hertz and, unlike the tal’riha, the harmonics of the concerto notes carried a far more distinct vibration—_

“That’s it!”  He bolted upright in bed and blinked in confusion for a moment at the familiar sight of his bedside chronometer, which read 0419, then shook his head and scrambled out of the covers.  “Kim to Seven.” 

 _“Yes, Ensign Kim?”_  

“I think I’ve figured out the solution.” 

 

* * *

 

Kathryn bit back a curse as she squinted at the tricorder’s dimmed screen, trying to read the vitals of the patient she was currently checking on.  Over the past four days of being trapped in the basement chambers, things had been slowly proceeding from inconvenient to more urgent with each passing day.  The emergency generators were showing obvious signs of strain.  The lighting was the first casualty, growing weaker in small measures; whatever heat source they were intended to power had been the next to fail.  Her body had been half-numb from the chill in the air all night, disrupting her sleep.  Several of the patients were showing the beginning stages of hypothermia, despite the medics distributing all the surplus blankets and the few precious heat packs available.  Now, she couldn’t shake off the persistent sensation of nausea—and it was the absolutely hellish limbo of wanting to vomit in hopes that it would provide relief, while knowing that giving in to that temptation would only make things worse. 

 _Leave it to the morning sickness to come back now,_ she thought irritably.  She did her best to hide her queasiness from the others, though she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone.  She had gotten most of the younger Ghe'shar'i medics to back off from their hovering with a sharp look.  Tuvok and Thune were another story; both had developed the annoying habit of volunteering themselves to do her share of the work. 

Rubbing at her stiff, aching neck with her free hand, she cleared the tricorder screen and crossed the room to the next patient.  A cold splash struck her leg and she started, realizing she had just stepped into a sizeable puddle.  Frowning, she glanced around and saw several large puddles scattered across the floor.  The lack of a specific source for the water’s appearance could only mean one thing—the water table under the Hall was rising into the underground levels. 

Changing course, she headed down the corridor in search of Thune, finding her in the storage room.  One look at the other woman’s face told her that the problem was much more serious than she'd anticipated. 

“Crewman Telfer discovered earlier that some of our topical medications were spoiled, so I came to retrieve the spare stock.”  Thune swept back a stray lock of her hair in an aggravated gesture.  “Then I discovered this.”  She aimed the beacon in her hand at the wall.  The light sparkled off little rivulets of water trickling down the stone surface. 

“The water table must have been affected by the quake.”  Kathryn shook her head in frustration and took the box Thune passed to her. 

“I’m afraid our problem is far greater than that,” the Ghe’shar’i woman replied.  “The water lines for the Hall are installed at a depth of five feet under the original foundation.  These chambers were constructed decades later, which means those lines are directly above us.  If the earthquake has caused fractures in the lines....” 

“Eventually this entire level will be flooded,” Kathryn finished grimly.  

 

* * *

 

"A dream," Seven of Nine repeated, unable to keep the skepticism out of her voice. 

 _"Yes,_ a dream."  She could tell Kim was prepared to elaborate, but to her surprise, he did not proceed with an interminable and inefficient explanation on how the REM state assisted humans in making sense of their experiences.  Instead, he proceeded to perform another standard predictable human behavior—describing the dream to her in exacting detail.  Though, to his credit and her relief, his account was swift and did not stray off on multiple and irrelevant tangents. 

"....so we should run the simulations, and if they're successful, start the recalibration of the equipment immediately."  Kim's fingers flew over his console; his effort resulted in a random cacophony of musical notes combined with the computer's standard trills and chirps.  Seven raised an eyebrow at his curious behavior.  Despite having been excited upon his hurried return to Astrometrics, she noticed he now seemed to have completely forgotten her presence; his attention was focused solely on the experiment he was conducting.  

A blinking alert caught her eye and she looked down at her console.  Groundwater levels in the upper crust were slowly rising, with the highest saturation located directly under the Hall of the Septarchy.  Water mains for the Capital also showed significant damage, no doubt fractured by the temblor four days prior.  Tapping her badge, she paged Chakotay, requesting his presence, and almost missed the second alert—radon gas concentrations in the same area had also increased considerably. 

"It's working!"  Kim's comment drew her gaze and she looked up to see him slap a hand on the console in what she recognized as excessive elation.  "Now I just need to transfer this data to the holo—" 

"There is no time for holodeck simulations, Ensign."  

"What are you talking about, Seven?  This should only take an hour." 

"An hour that would be detrimental in effecting a successful rescue."  Chakotay entered at that moment and, ignoring Kim, Seven turned to the first officer.  "Commander, Ensign Kim has developed a successful procedure for the rescue of the individuals trapped in the subterranean chambers.  It is imperative we take a team to the surface and implement it immediately."

 

* * *

 

 

“We will start getting the patients moved this afternoon; there’s another ambassadorial office next to this one and a third at the opposite end of this corridor,” Thune stated, shouldering open the door to a smaller room and gesturing Kathryn inside ahead of her.  Thune’s wrist beacon bounced off the tumbled furniture within as she moved each item into the room’s far corners: a desk, a pair of chairs, a small overturned cabinet.  “Space will be at a premium, as you can see.  But it may buy us some additional time, especially if an aftershock occurs that fractures any weakened water lines.  Also, we are nearest the stairwells here, which will help since they are slightly elevated above the rest.” 

“Agreed.  Every little bit will help.”  Kathryn’s tricorder beeped an interruption and she pulled it from her jacket pocket.  Her eyes darted over the information on the small screen.  

 _Elevated levels of radon molecules detected in atmosphere.  Current concentration critical and lethal levels will be present in 7.4 hours._   

“I’m afraid we have yet another problem, Harati.”  She showed the Ghe’shar’i woman her tricorder.  “Is there any way your engineers can get the generators functioning at a higher capacity in order to filter the air at a higher rate?” 

“I can ask them to try but there are no guarantees—” 

“Captain!  _Kiotai_ Thune!” 

The two followed Billy Telfer’s voice back into the medical ward, where he and a male medic were crouched by a widening puddle in the corner nearest the door.  About twenty centimeters off the floor was a small hole, which they were attempting to plug with a spare roll of bandaging.  A yelp echoed from across the room, drawing their attention to a patient sitting up in his cot.  He had his hands pressed to the wall at his waist level and fissures in the stone were clearly visible.  Water trickled through his fingers despite his efforts, then gushed over them as the crack in the wall widened, spurting a wave over his blankets. 

Thune spun around.  “Damn.  We’re going to need to move _now_.  Suliri, get all the patients up immediately—" 

The male medic didn’t take two steps to obey her order before the room abruptly plunged into darkness.  Several voices cried out in varying degrees of distress at the sudden absence of all light.  The tricorder in Kathryn’s hand shrilled a warning at the spike in radiation.  She swallowed her own rising fear and pointed her beacon towards the nearest occupied cot.  Panicked questions and pleas echoed all around her, but she couldn’t tell in the dark if they were talking to her or one another.  She forced herself to focus on the sound of Thune's voice as the other woman did her best to speak above the panicked tones in their midst. 

Another rumble in the walls echoed through the room before a loud _crack!_ preceded a second rupture, this one pouring down from above in an icy torrent.  Kathryn gasped as the deluge hit her full force, then stumbled as others trying to escape the flow bumped into her.  In moments, the water had become ankle-deep and the empty cots were afloat.  

“Proceed to the stairwells, quickly!  Please move in an orderly fashion.”  Tuvok had taken control of those nearest the door, ushering them out, and Kathryn was thankful for Vulcan calm; hopefully his unruffled composure would offer the others some small measure of reassurance.  She quickly shone her light around the room, confirming that it was empty before slogging through the now knee-deep water towards the exit.  Just as she reached the doorway, her feet became entwined in waterlogged debris and she went down, twisting just in time in order to land on her side rather than her belly.  Her tricorder disappeared somewhere into the depths as she flailed back into a sitting position, coughing up the liquid she'd accidentally inhaled.  A warm hand on her arm pulled her to her feet and she recognized Tuvok's touch, letting him lead her up the stairs to relative safety.  The sloshing below grew louder and she could see by the flashes of the beacons that the levels were still steadily rising up to meet them; already, it was lapping at the bottom of the stairs.  

"We're going to die down here," one of the patients moaned. 

"Let's not be starting that," Thune responded.  "This is absolutely not the place to succumb to a state of panic." 

"She's right, everyone," Kathryn agreed.  "I know this situation is scary, but we're all out of the water up here, and so for right now, we should all remain as calm as possible."  Mumbles of disquiet followed, but she tuned them out for the moment, distracting herself by mentally running through a battery of possible solutions for escape and discarding each one as impossible.  The only idea remotely conceivable—attempting to move some of the debris by hand—could never be accomplished in time and would most likely do more harm than good if the rubble were to shift in the wrong direction.  Still, it was their only viable alternative.  "Maybe we should—" 

A faint rumble reverberated through the walls around them, eliciting cries of fear from several individuals.  Loud splashing echoed from below, no doubt falling debris hitting the water.  A second rumble shook the stairs, sounding almost like distant thunder. 

"Is it another earthquake?" someone asked.  Near the top of the steps, a high-pitched voice let out a wail until it was shushed by someone else. 

"It must be."  More groans and a few sobs followed the comment. 

"Great Gods, help us," a third voice lamented. 

"If everyone will be silent for a moment, please." 

Kathryn blinked at the sound of Tuvok's firm request.  Still, several people continue to voice their fears until Tuvok repeated himself, the words sounding almost like an order.  The Ghe'shar'i fell quiet after some additional worried murmurs.  Now the only sounds present were the splashing and sloshing of the rising water, along with the vibrations, which seemed to be growing louder and more frequent.  Soon, a higher-pitched sound began to filter through—piercing in pitch and in short bursts.  Kathryn's eyes widened, recognizing the sound of phaser drills.  Relief swelled within her chest.  

The wall of debris suddenly began to crumble and, moments later, the upper section collapsed in pieces, a shock of light and noise spilling in.  The sudden influx of fresher air hit Kathryn in the face and its faint metallic tang forced her to swallow hard to suppress the resurging nausea.  Lights were beamed in, a multitude of voices calling out various names.  Hands reached in and more of the rubble collapsed as, one by one, the patients were boosted out to safety.  She watched the process in a daze, swallowing repeatedly in an attempt to battle the vertigo that grew stronger with every passing minute. 

And then the hands were reaching for her.  Tuvok's steadying hand on her arm guided her to step up and through; Harry's face was the first she saw and she belatedly realized one set of hands helping her through the narrow hole was his.  Blinking against the blinding glare of full natural light, she ignored her protesting muscles and scrambled the rest of the way out into the Hall.  Most of her strength sapped from stress, she clung to Harry and MacAlister for balance until a familiar face swam into her view.  Whispering Chakotay's name, she let go of MacAlister's arm and reached out for him, her stomach rebelling in the next instant.   Several heaves later, she succumbed to the blessed oblivion of unconsciousness. 

 

* * *

 

 

Cold was the first sensation that dragged her back towards consciousness, the second being the near-darkness that greeted her eyes when she forced them open.  Her mind struggled to grasp her surroundings beyond recognizing that this had to be sickbay; the faint glow off of a wall panel somewhere above her head and the firm surface of the biobed she lay on.  _But if I'm in sickbay, why am I so cold?_  

Strong fingers brushed her cheek and she turned instinctively into the touch.  "Chakotay...." 

"Shhh, my love.  Just rest." 

"So cold...."  The words were barely spoken before a heavy warmth settled over her, almost too hot to the touch.  She shivered in relief as the heated blanket began to chase away the chill.  "How long?" 

"Eighteen hours."  The Doctor's voice startled her and she looked past Chakotay to see that he had materialized just inside the doorway.  The light level rose slightly and she blinked against the additional brightness as he moved to her side and opened up his tricorder.  "How are you feeling, Captain?" 

Kathryn mentally assessed herself, flexing fingers and toes to test them as she answered.  "Cold, but getting warmer.  My legs feel like they ache a little."  She pressed a hand to her belly, but felt no movement within.  Alarm flared to life and she tried to push herself to sit up.  "The baby—" 

"The baby is just fine, not to worry," the Doctor assured, offering her his arm so she could move to sit upright.  "Radon poisoning at this stage of fetal development can be extremely harmful, but you were fortunate enough to not be exposed for a dangerous length of time.  You, on the other hand, I had to treat for leukopenia and mild hypotension.  The latter was the most likely cause for your loss of consciousness planetside."  

"Am I well enough—?"  "Can she return to—?"  Kathryn paused when she realized Chakotay's voice overlapped hers and they exchanged a smile of amusement at their shared idea. 

The Doctor huffed a sigh of irritation and snapped his tricorder closed.  "Since I get the feeling neither of you will accept the answer 'no', yes, you may leave sickbay, Captain.  But _only_ if you remain in your quarters for the next two days.  And I will be making a house call tomorrow morning to check on you."  He turned to the console to arrange a site to site transport, grumbling under his breath. 

The transport triggered a brief sensation of vertigo for Kathryn, but it faded when she began to move around.  Discarding the sickbay gown for one of her own, she gratefully crawled between the covers, burrowing into their familiar softness and closing her eyes with a contented sigh.  The edge of the bed depressing next to her made her open them again.  "Aren't you going to join me?" 

"I thought we should talk first while you're still awake enough." 

She frowned at his grave tone.  "Let me guess—you're grounding me, so to speak." 

"No, Kathryn, I'm asking."  Chakotay took her hand in his, stroking his thumb over the back of it.  "And I am asking only in regards to away missions.  Pregnancy isn't a disability, after all.  I completely understand you wanting to continue your normal duties as long as you feel able." 

"Or as long as the Doctor doesn't dream up an excuse somewhere down the line," she grumbled. 

"Somehow I think you can convince him to see things your way," he teased. 

"Oh, I'll make sure of it," she agreed, then tugged at their joined hands.  "Now come lay down." 

"I will when I get back." 

She raised her eyebrows.  "From where?" 

"Governor Cironis is blaming himself for what happened to the away team members and especially you.  Now that the power is restored planetside, he's prepared what he's called a 'reparation gift' in the form of star charts that cover the nearest known sectors.  And he's been very insistent on my presence—in person," he finished wryly. 

Kathryn frowned again, but this time in a mock pout that eventually curved upward into a half smile.  "Very well, but I expect you to return as soon as possible." 

"Aye, Captain."  He leaned down to brush a quick kiss across her brow before leaving.  

She smiled as she watched him go and nestled deeper into the covers, closing her eyes and letting her mind drift.  The bed shifting beneath her started her awake, her exhausted mind taking a moment to recognize his touch as his arms wrapped around her waist; his gentle whisper in her ear told her it was only 2130 and so there were hours yet until morning.  Murmuring his name, she turned in his arms, snuggling closer and sinking back into sleep.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  Big thanks to devovere for her help with the birth and baby scenes!  Couldn’t have done it without you <3

_Captain's personal log – stardate 52840.1_

_The last few months of our journey have gone relatively smoothly, as we have had the luck of spending it in a quiet area of space.  The star charts provided by Governor Cironis were limited, but still beneficial; we were able to avoid a disputed sector belonging to a warring race and also skirt a type-two singularity.  The singularity took an additional week to chart a safe course around, but better safe than sorry._

_I decided to go on limited duty three weeks ago.  As much as I hate to admit it, the captain's chair has become intolerable at this stage and getting in and out of it was becoming more difficult each day.  Here in my own quarters, I can at least put my feet up...._  

 

"The Cin'turik seem tough, but fair.  We have to follow the designated route and must avoid the marked sectors that are forbidden to outsiders.  It'll take four months for us to get all the way through and we'll be permitted to stop on Urik Prime for trade, which is two weeks from the border on the other side."  Chakotay passed the padd in his hand to Kathryn, trailing a finger along its surface to illustrate his words.  "They are also friendly with the species whose space borders theirs on that end, and said that they would introduce us beforehand." 

"So we might get additional quiet time with the Cin'turik's neighbors," Kathryn remarked.  "That would be nice."  She tilted her head against the back of the sofa.  "Though I have to say, all this lack of excitement makes me wonder just how messy it will get in the future." 

"Don't tell me you believe in such things?" he said with a grin.  

"You know what I mean, mister."  She jabbed a well-aimed finger into his ribs. 

"Ouch!  No abusing your husband."

 

* * *

 

 

Kathryn awoke the next morning in time to hear Chakotay's footsteps retreating out of their quarters and the soft swish of the main door closing after him.  She closed her eyes and tried to fall back to sleep, but a restless energy drove her out of bed fifteen minutes later and through her normal morning routine in about half the time it normally took.  She pressed a hand against her belly, noting that the baby seemed strangely quiet, as opposed to spending the last several weeks kicking and turning every which way.  Shrugging it off, she detoured towards the couch, deciding she might as well spend the morning going through the backlog of reports. 

Upon seeing that the padd on the top of the stack was Seven’s monthly efficiency report, she shook her head with a rueful sigh.  “Well, at least this will pass the time.” 

Despite the tedium of the work, she soon found herself absorbed in the reading, moving from one report to the next without stopping; only occasional sharp twinges in her lower back interrupted her momentum.  She continued to ignore the pangs and, after some time, they faded to the back of her thoughts.  

"Computer, time," she said absently, setting aside yet another padd after thumbing her authorization on it. 

_*The time is 0947 hours.*_  

Her eyebrows rose, then she looked at her workspace and they rose further.  Had she really finished over a dozen reports in a little under two hours?  She hefted herself to her feet and gathered up the padds, wincing as the pain in her back flared up with a vengeance.  Reaching back to try and rub at the sore spot proved futile and she gave up.  Lying down was the only other option to ease it but the restless energy was still very present. 

_I do need to deliver these padds.  Might as well, seeing as the walk might help a bit._   But Chakotay wasn't in his office when she arrived, so she left the padds on his desk and returned to the turbolift at a slow pace.  Every step sent little stinging prickles of discomfort down her legs.  She did her best to ignore them, keeping her expression composed, offering the crewmembers she passed by her usual nod and smile.  

_I'll stop in sickbay to get a pain suppressant, then it's back home for a nap.  Maybe I can sleep it off._ She tapped the call button for the turbolift, wincing at another sharp stab of pain.  The doors opened a minute later, revealing Wildman and Ayala already inside.  Both junior officers backed up, leaving more than enough space for her to enter. 

"Deck five," Kathryn ordered, unable to suppress the sigh of frustration in her voice. 

“Long day already?" Ayala asked sympathetically. 

An amused half smile touched her lips.  “It does feel like it.  However, I’ve actually had an abundance of energy all morning—“ 

The lift floor lurching underfoot disrupted their conversation and it was only Sam’s quick grasping of her elbow that kept Kathryn from tumbling face forward.  Ayala was not so lucky; a second jolt caused him to stumble, and he groaned in pain as his head cracked against the bulkhead.  The third time was akin to a violent shudder that rocked the entire ship and the lift jerked to an abrupt halt, unbalancing all three of them.  Both women collided with Ayala this time, pushing him back against the bulkhead once more until everyone was able to regain their footing. 

“Lieutenant!  Are you all right?” 

The security officer felt along the back of his head, grimaced and nodded, then tapped his badge.  “Ayala to bridge.”  He frowned at the lack of response and tapped it a second time.  “Ayala to engineering.”  Again, the familiar chirp was absent and he shook his head.  “Commlines must’ve gone down, too.” 

A shiver of anxiety crawled down Kathryn’s spine, exacerbating the already present ache.  The ship shook again and the turbolift lights dimmed.  She forced herself to shut down all the scenarios that wanted to parade through her mind, sternly reminding herself that it was not productive. 

"All right, since commlines are down, we need to see about getting out of here."  She turned to the other two, but they were already looking up at the emergency access panel above their heads. 

"Give me a boost, Mike."  Once she was up, Sam leaned her hip in an awkward pose against his hand that was balancing her, as she tugged at the hatch.  After several minutes of futile pulling and pushing from various angles, and almost falling when another tremor shook the deck beneath them, she swore under her breath and banged the flat of her hand against it.  "It's stuck.  _We're_ stuck.  I'm sorry, Captain." 

Kathryn shook her head.  "No need to apologize.  If it's stuck...."  She drew in a deep breath at a particularly painful cramp in the center of her back.  "It's stuck," she finally finished ruefully.  "We'll just have to be as patient as we can." 

"Are you all right?"  Sam lay a gentle hand on Kathryn's shoulder. 

It was on the tip of her tongue to say "I'm fine" just as she would have most other times, but another twinge stabbed down her legs and she couldn't hide the frown as her hands instinctively went to the source of the pain. 

“Did you pull a muscle when we were all thrown off balance?” Sam suggested. 

Kathryn shook her head.  “No, I've had this all morning.  Pain coming and going.  Now it’s like a knot slowly being tightened—and the pain feels like it’s spreading....”  She grimaced and squeezed her eyes closed. 

“Spreading to where?  Upper back?” 

She shook her head again.  “Around....”  Her voice trailed off in a gasp as a piercing shard of pain lanced along her hips and down her legs, immediately followed by a second, more intense cramp across her abdomen.  The combination made her legs buckle, but both junior officers supported her and she managed to stay on her feet.  Another spasm even more painful than the previous two gripped her moments later; this time, her legs gave out and she slumped to her knees with a groan.  Sam immediately knelt beside Kathryn, pressing a hand to her belly. 

“Is it....?”  But she knew the answer even before she saw the younger woman nod grimly.  An insistent rhythm of panic beat in her chest— _not here, not here!—_ and she fought to tune that frightened inner voice out, watching Sam rip open the turbolift's emergency medkit and rifle through its contents.  

Sam opened the tricorder, running the scanning wand over Kathryn's lower belly, then nodded a second time.  "Active labor's well underway—you're dilated to 6.8 centimeters."  She set a calming hand on Kathryn's shoulder.  "I know this is _not_ the ideal place for this, but I will do everything I can to help you." 

"The labor can't be stopped?"  Ayala eyed the medkit with nervous hope; a frown creased his brow when Sam shook her head. 

“Hopefully, we’ll be out of here before long.  Until then....we’ll do what we can.”  The ship shook again and Sam waited until the deck was stable again before helping Kathryn back up.  “How about a back rub, Captain?” 

“Okay.”  With a sigh, Kathryn leaned her forehead against the wall, closing her eyes as she felt the gentle pressure of Sam’s hands begin rubbing along her lower back in leisurely circles.  At the ensign’s encouragement, she let her lower body move in a slow swaying motion.  She tried to relax under Sam’s touch, but the pain continued to mount in deliberate measures and the restless tension returned.  Several times, she broke away to pace a small semicircle in the limited space, usually after a tremor rocked the ship.  Ayala took over the massaging when Sam’s hands tired and the time was marked by Sam doing tricorder scans every hour.  

By hour four, Kathryn was kneeling on the deck, unable to comfortably stand any longer.  She swayed back and forth, bracing herself with one hand and holding her belly with the other while Ayala rubbed her back.  She heard the soft trill of the tricorder and realized Sam was doing yet another scan.  Hadn’t she just been scanned?  Time had lost all meaning.  Instead, she’d been measuring it in levels of pain and her attempts at establishing a breathing rhythm. 

“Captain, we’re going to have to do this here.” 

“Do what?” Kathryn murmured, closing her eyes again against a new, strong ache that gripped her. 

“We’re going to have to deliver the baby here.” 

Kathryn’s eyes flew open.  “What??  That’s—that’s not possible, it’s only been—” 

Sam rubbed her shoulder blades in a soothing motion.  “You’re fully dilated.  Unless an engineering team comes along in the next couple minutes, we won’t have a choice.  But I’ll do everything I can to make this a little easier for you.  And I'm going to need your help with this, Mike.  Also, your jacket and turtleneck."  Sam had already shed her uniform jacket and was pulling her own tunic off. 

"Me??  I don't know anything about delivering babies," the security officer protested, quickly removing and handing over the required items of clothing. 

"Both of ours will work for temporary insulation—"  Sam paused in quickly shaping the fabric into a rounded nest on top of her own jacket.  "You mean you never saw any of these types of emergencies in your Maquis days?" 

Ayala mumbled something about the sight making him queasy and Sam shook her head. 

“I need to push.”  The words were out of her mouth before Kathryn realized it and she blinked in surprise at the sound of her own voice.  Then a second hard contraction caught her in its grip and she gasped and sat up, both hands on her belly. 

“All right, then let’s get you ready.” 

Kathryn struggled to concentrate on her breathing, gently encouraged by Sam as the ensign helped to make her as comfortable as possible after helping remove her slacks and using Ayala’s jacket as a floor cover.  Any potential for embarrassment at being partially nude in front of two junior officers had been banished to the far corners of her mind; the building contractions overrode all other thoughts. 

Sam directed Ayala to kneel behind Kathryn and hook his arms under hers, then to let her grip his hands for additional support.  “You’re going to have to keep her balanced, too; squatting is the best position for her, but the legs cramp more easily.” 

How much more time passed, Kathryn didn't know.  She attempted several times to calculate the timing of her contractions and breathing as a form of distraction, even though she knew Sam could get a more accurate reading via the tricorder.  Worry for the rest of the crew enduring God knew what invaded her thoughts and, between it and the pain, she quickly lost count.  

“Captain?  Are you still with me?” 

Sam’s voice seemed to come from far away and Kathryn moaned softly in answer.  A touch to her cheek brought her back to the present and she lifted her head to meet Sam’s gentle gaze.  “I can’t focus....” 

“That can happen.  Just keep with the same rhythm:  deep breath in, push when you exhale—” 

The deck suddenly lurched beneath them and the impact knocked all three of them off their feet.  Kathryn yelped when she hit the floor and was trying to scrabble upright again when she realized her hands were planted in a puddle of clear liquid.  "What in the—ahhh!"  Her question changed abruptly into a cry at the intense spasm that sliced through her abdomen. 

Sam encouraged her to try to move, but the pain had frozen her into place.   Kathryn gritted her teeth in an attempt not to voice it as the ensign helped her back into a crouching position and remained standing above her, still gripping her hands.  “Same rhythm as before—and pull down on me at the same time you push.” 

Without warning, the pain blossomed into a burning sensation unlike anything she’d ever felt.  Her howl of agony echoed off the bulkheads as her nails dug into Sam's hands in a death grip.  Another push—the burn flared hotter.  Each contraction felt more excruciating than the last.  “I can’t do this,” she gasped. 

“Captain, you’re doing fine.  I promise.”  Kathryn blinked and Sam was kneeling before her again, placing her hands back into Ayala’s and brushing her hair out of her face.  The tricorder beeped insistently and Sam spared it a nanosecond’s glance.  “The baby’s crowning….keep going, you’re doing great.  Just a few more pushes to go....” 

Sam’s voice began to fade away again and Kathryn could feel herself weakening; even as she bore down yet again and sensed the intense pressure grow stronger before it suddenly eased.  She caught a glimpse of a small form lying in Sam’s hands and her heart began to pound anxiously; she followed Sam’s directions to open up the front of her tunic and absorbed the sensation of damp skin touching her own as the tiny body was laid against her breast.  "Is he—?" 

A loud squalling sound filled the turbolift, voicing displeasure at being thrust so rudely into the outside world.  Sam’s smile was beaming as she carefully tucked both turtlenecks in around the baby for an extra layer of warmth.  _"_   _She_ is doing just fine, Captain.  Let’s get you a little more comfortable since we might be here awhile longer.” 

Kathryn became aware of her cramped legs the moment she tried to move them and getting into a comfortable sitting position took some doing, but finally she was able to sit against the wall, legs stretched out and Sam’s jacket over her lap.  “There you go.  Now you two can get to know each other.” 

Kathryn’s gaze immediately turned to the baby-- _her_ baby.  Her crying had subsided to soft fussing noises, while diminutive fingers made grasping motions against the nearest handful of fabric. “Hello, little one,” she whispered, tracing a finger over the tiny brow and along the cheek.  “Everyone is going to be so surprised to see you, especially your daddy.”  

The soft beeping of the tricorder interrupted the moment, and she looked up at Sam, who was moving the wand slowly above the baby.  After a minute, she nodded.  “Everything looks good.  A little jaundice, but that can be taken care of when we get to sickbay.”  

Kathryn carefully caressed the little fingers, one by one, and stroked over the fragile wrist.  “Hopefully it won’t be too much longer.”  Sam nodded and returned to the task of cleaning up what she could and helping Kathryn redress, draping her jacket around the captain’s shoulders. 

A series of thumps and muffled voices from above caught their attention, then the hatch in the ceiling flipped open with a loud screech of metal.  The grating sound set the baby to wailing again and four very surprised faces looked down through the hatch at Kathryn, Sam and Ayala. 

“What’s happening out there?” Ayala demanded. 

“We hit a rogue ion storm,” Nicoletti answered above the baby’s squalls.  “A few injuries that we know of, but nothing major.  We’re working on communications and transporters as well as the lifts.” 

“Where exactly are we?” Kathryn asked. 

“Between decks four and five, Captain.  So we’ll be able to get you to sickbay as soon as you’re out of there.” 

After a short discussion among the engineering team, Sam swaddled the baby in the turtlenecks and placed her gently in an emptied toolkit hooked to surplus cabling.  With slow, measured hitches, the engineers lifted the precious bundle to safety.  Ayala then boosted Kathryn out, followed by Sam.  Vorik directed them towards the Jeffries tube hatch while the remainder of the team helped Ayala make the climb. 

The fifteen-meter crawl from the lift to the hatch seemed like fifteen light-years to Kathryn, who fought her exhaustion with every move.  Climbing out onto deck five was a relief and it was only her wobbly balance that allowed her to accept Vorik’s offer of an arm to hold for the walk to sickbay.  Sam followed behind, carrying the baby.  

Upon entering sickbay, the crewmembers already there reacted with varying degrees of surprise and delighted shock at the sight of the baby.  A few stern words from the Doctor subsided most of the hubbub and he directed Kathryn into alcove two, sending Sam with her but keeping the baby.  Giving in to her fatigue, Kathryn moved on autopilot as Sam helped her change into a sickbay tunic, then lay down on the biobed with a sigh of relief.  The sound of fussing turned her attention to the doorway just as the Doctor entered with the baby. 

“Fifty-two centimeters, three kilos, and she’s perfectly healthy, Captain.  I’ve taken care of that touch of jaundice Ensign Wildman noted as well.”  He carefully transferred the baby into her arms.  “You should reestablish skin to skin contact and keep her that way for at least an hour or two.” 

“Thank you, Doctor.” 

“You’re very welcome.  And congratulations.”  The Doctor smiled and then turned to Sam.  “Time for us to get back to our other patients.” 

After they left, Kathryn carefully unwrapped the blanket the baby had been bundled in and set her on her torso, draping the blanket over her tiny body.  The baby’s fussing quieted almost immediately, though she continued to flex her little hands against her mother’s skin.

 

* * *

 

 

Chakotay pushed open the Jefferies tube hatch and climbed out onto deck five, then reached a hand in to assist Ashmore.  The engineer slid out with a grunt of pain, clinging to the hatch door for balance until Dalby had scrambled out as well.  “Good thing it’s only a sprain and not a break.  I hope,” Ashmore sighed, accepting the arms of his fellow officers for support as he took hobbling steps. 

“Just our luck we pick the exit hatch at the opposite end of the deck,” Dalby joked. 

“We’ll get there,” Chakotay pointed out as they passed by Ensign Sharr.  She glanced at Ashmore’s leg and made a sympathetic face, then spotted Chakotay and her frown turned into a smile. 

After the third and fourth crewmen they passed smiled knowingly in his direction, he began to wonder what was up. 

Sickbay was unsurprisingly busy, but not full to the brim.  He helped Ashmore to the nearest available bed and accepted the younger man’s thanks before finding himself face to face with the Doctor’s tricorder. 

“Doctor, I’m—“ 

“Don’t even _think_ about saying ‘fine’, Commander.  I’ve already had one crew member whose ‘bruised arm’ turned out to be a fractured ulna.  So I’d rather do a standard scan on everyone to be safe.”  The wand traveled back and forth for a few minutes before the Doctor nodded.  “No injuries.  You’re free to go.  I’ve gotten the Captain settled in alcove two and you are welcome to visit her.”  The Doctor nodded back towards the back of sickbay before turning his attention to Ashmore. 

“The Captain settled in?”  Worry suffused him and the demand for more details was on the tip of his tongue when a high-pitched cry filtered through the hubbub.  Chakotay’s head snapped around at the sound, recognizing it instantly for what it was.  His feet carried him towards the source on autopilot, past more smiling faces until they faded behind him as he crossed the threshold into the first right-hand alcove.  

Inside, the lights were lowered and he had to blink to adjust to the dimmer illumination but there was more than enough light to reveal the beautiful sight before him:  Kathryn reclining on the biobed, a tiny, blanket-draped form resting on her breast.  She looked up at the sound of his footsteps with a smile as he reached her side.  He gave her a tender kiss, cupping her face in his hands.  “Are you all right?” 

“I’m fine, Chakotay.  I promise.  Just very tired.” 

“How did you—”  He shook his head.  “Never mind.  The important thing is, you got to sickbay in time.” 

Kathryn’s smile turned rueful.  “Well….actually I didn’t.” 

“You didn’t?” he repeated.  

“To be fair, I was on my way here.  Then the ion storm knocked the turbolifts offline, so we were on our own.” 

“We?” 

“Wildman and Ayala were with me.  If they hadn’t been....”  She shivered and shook her head. 

“So you had help at least, even if you weren’t in a safe location.”  She nodded as he sighed in relief, then his attention returned to the baby.  “When--?” 

“About an hour ago.  She was born with no complications, thankfully.  But trust our child to be born during a crisis.” 

“She?” he repeated, even while his thoughts were churning at warp five.  _Daughter.  My **daughter**_.  He held out his hands in a silent plea.  The baby uttered a whining squawk as she was passed over into her father’s arms and he immediately moved to draw her close to his body the moment he had a steady grip on her.  Her face scrunched up as if she were preparing to cry, but it came out as another whine.  Her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened.  Eyes as dark as his own stared back at him, fringed with tiny dark lashes that matched the curls peeking out from beneath the small cap that covered her head. 

“Hello, my girl.” He could barely get the words out past the lump lodged in his throat.  He leaned down to press his lips to her brow and breathe her in.  Squinting in the dim lighting, he studied the perfect little face, his free hand moving to trace her miniature features and caress the wispy curls of visible hair.  Kathryn’s fingers brushed at his cheeks and he belatedly realized he was crying when another blink blurred his vision.  He swiped at his eyes with a sheepish chuckle, then stroked the baby’s arm and hand with a fingertip, smiling when her little hand gripped his finger. 

“You’re as beautiful as your mother.”  He moved his finger to test the baby’s grip but she held on tight.  “And just as strong, too.” 

The baby suddenly frowned, then started to squall.  Chakotay smiled in understanding.  “Is that your way of telling me you’re done with me for now?”  He kissed her forehead, then passed her back to Kathryn. 

Kathryn settled the baby back on her chest, and he watched in fascination as the baby slowly pushed herself over towards the breast and her mouth found the nipple.  The sight was nothing new to him as he’d seen it countless times when he was young.  But watching his own wife and baby bond in this way seemed somehow more profound. 

A soft tap on the doorframe startled him and he turned to see Sam Wildman peeking in.  “Commander, communications have been restored and a Minister Euseb of the Cin’turik government is waiting to speak to you on subspace.  The Doctor says you can use his office and the link has been transferred there already.” 

“Thank you, Ensign.”  He turned back to Kathryn with a sigh of apology.  “I’ll be back as soon as possible.” 

“We know.”  She reached out to give his arm a gentle squeeze and he smiled at her use of “we”.  “See you when you get back.” 

He leaned down for a kiss, then kissed a fingertip and touched it to the baby’s cheek before reluctantly departing. 

 

* * *

 

Chakotay spent two hours on subspace with Minister Euseb, accepting his apologies for the damage inflicted by the ion storm and his permission to mine dilithium on an upcoming M-class moon.  Once he managed to draw the discussion to a close, he returned to find both Kathryn and the baby asleep.  Someone had thoughtfully set up an emergency cot for him in the corner and he managed to catch snatches of sleep throughout the night hours.  

At 0900, the Doctor released his newest patient from sickbay.  Kathryn had insisted on walking back to their quarters instead of being transported, her only concession to her fatigue to allow the light touch of Chakotay’s hand on her back as they walked.  Both her hands were occupied with the unfamiliar feel of the sling hanging around her neck and shoulder and its small, sleeping occupant.  He smiled at the way she seemed to cradle the sling in her hands as if not trusting it to do its job of keeping the baby secure. 

The crewmembers they passed seemed to sense their captain’s mood, not stopping them but instead offering their good wishes in passing.  Baytart even jumped to mock attention and announced in a low but serious tone that the newest crewmember was on deck, much to the amusement of Henley, Golwat and Yosa. 

When they reached their quarters, he helped Kathryn remove the sling, then nudged her in the direction of the fresher.  “Take all the time you need.”  She offered him a weary smile and a kiss on the cheek before heading that direction. 

Chakotay carefully opened the sling, slipping the newborn free of its confines.  She whimpered at being moved, waving around her covered hands.  Her eyes fluttered open, staring up into his, and he had to once more blink back the tears that threatened.  To distract himself, he carried her to the viewport.  Under the muted light of the warp-streaked stars, he cradled her tiny form close and whispered a blessing into her ear. 

Turning away from the viewport, he carefully set her in the attached bedside crib.  Her eyes were already drooping and she fell back to sleep within seconds.  Sitting down on the bed’s edge, he watched her little movements until they stilled in deep slumber.  Warm arms wrapped around him from behind and he reached up to clasp Kathryn’s hands in his own, entwining their fingers. 

“She’s really ours,” he murmured. 

Kathryn set her chin on his shoulder.  “She is.”  

“I still can’t believe she’s here in front of me.” 

“I swear to you on my hours of labor in that turbolift that she’s really here.”  They both shared a quiet laugh before Kathryn’s tone turned serious.  “I do wonder what kind of childhood she’ll have, growing up in the Delta Quadrant.  It’s not exactly an ideal playground.” 

Chakotay gave their intertwined fingers a light squeeze.  “She will have us, as well as a whole crew to teach and guide her along her path in life.  I think she’ll grow up just fine.” 

Kathryn squeezed his fingers back.  “I hope so.”  

They both fell silent then, watching the soft rise and fall of the baby’s breathing and imagining the myriad of possibilities that would shape her life and theirs in the light-years ahead. 

 

***fin***

 


End file.
